What makes a great co-op position? For me, a great co-op position has three key things: (1) the opportunity to make a valuable contribution and impact, (2) challenges to cultivate and grow my professional skillset, and, most importantly, (3) collaboration and support from an amazing team to satisfy my passion for people. When searching for a co-op opportunity, knowing what I wanted was the easy part; finding a position which fit my needs and values was much more challenging. That’s when I found D2L. I was drawn to D2L because, unlike other opportunities, D2L was mission-driven and promised the opportunity to make an impact on the future of education.
I joined D2L’s People and Culture team in September of 2020 as a People and Culture Coordinator. My responsibilities were diverse and challenging, encompassing multiple areas of People and Culture. I worked closely with People and Culture Business Partners on employee enablement and engagement, conducted strategic research, and created tools and resources which are widely used by both leaders and employees. I also worked in Talent Acquisition screening candidates, coordinating interviews, and participating in campus recruitment events. In my daily work, I saw the impact I had both within People and Culture and within D2L more broadly. The projects I worked on challenged me to grow my capabilities and I had an amazing team (including two amazing mentors!) who were personally invested and supportive of my growth.
Unlike other co-op opportunities, I saw firsthand how D2L co-ops are treated like full-time contributors. As a co-op at D2L, you can expect your team to make you feel included as an equal peer, your ideas to be respected, and real investment in your professional growth. I always felt comfortable and encouraged to ask questions, share ideas, and fully participate as a member of the People and Culture team. Frequent learning opportunities also demonstrated D2L’s commitment to my professional growth and progression as I learned new skills to leverage in my role and beyond. I also worked on projects which had a large impact at D2L, even presenting my work to the Senior Leadership Team! D2L really went above and beyond the average co-op experience and gave me real career experience.
I have truly enjoyed and appreciated my time at D2L. The work was meaningful and important, consistently challenging me to learn and grow with the support of an amazing team. I would wholeheartedly recommend a co-op at D2L. This term I am representing D2L as their Campus Ambassador for the University of Waterloo. If you’re interested in learning more about my co-op experience and #lifeatD2L, connect with me on LinkedIn and we can chat more!
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