UVic Co-op & Career

Rowan Somerwil (she/her, exercise sciences) spent her summer as a camp counsellor working with children with diverse needs in Calgary, Alberta. She provided personal care, programmed activities and made it a priority to ensure that all the campers had a fun experience.

💬“I made an impact by creating strong personal connections with the campers. I did this by paying attention to their interests and relating activities to their interests.”

💬“This co-op strengthened my interest in being an occupational therapist. Working with the children was an amazing learning opportunity and inspired me to want to help even more in the future.” - Rowan Somerwil

Interested in further exploring your passions outside of the classroom? Consider joining the UVic co-op program.

📸 Noor Abdul

Oscar Ure (he/him, mechanical engineering) worked as a reliability engineer at the Mt. Milligan mine. He implemented a reliability centred maintenance program in a gold and copper mill. Oscar’s maintenance responsibilities spanned hundreds of pumps, motors, and lubrication systems to ensure safety and efficiency.

💬“Co-op gives you so many skills and exposure which put you above your competitors when seeking full time employment.” - Oscar Ure

Are you interested in gaining hands-on experience in your chosen field? Visit https://ow.ly/hSlr50YFiy8 to learn more.

Juliana Kudinda (she/her, business/commerce) spent her co-op as an administrative coordinator with Proline Property Management. She assisted her team by handling daily operations such as data entry, document management, correspondence and more.

💬“This hands-on experience helped me better understand the importance of communication, collaboration and professionalism in a business environment. Working at Proline also gave me insight into the real estate and property management industry, an area I hadn’t explored before. This co-op not only expanded my professional knowledge and skills, but clarified the type of workplace culture I thrive in.” - Juliana Kudinda

Interested in gaining professional experience in your chosen field? Visit https://ow.ly/HOUY50YFiqs to learn more.

📸 Juliana Kudinda

Nicola Fretenburg (she/her, biology) spent her co-op as a field technician with Environment and Climate Change Canada in South Okanagan, BC. She contributed to the monitoring project of the Williamson's Sapsucker, an endangered bird species impacted by habitat loss and destruction. Nicola assisted in examining how industrial logging affects the habitat choice and productivity of these woodpeckers.

💬“This co-op term was my first opportunity to put the data collection and analysis skills that I have gained through coursework towards a large field project. Moving forward with my degree, I will be able to apply the data analysis and field skills that I gained through this position.” - Nicola Fretenburg

Looking for a job that prioritizes environmental sustainability? Visit https://ow.ly/FHoa50YFin1 to find opportunities!

📸 Amy Nowell

Last summer, Savannah Dam (physics/biochemistry) worked as a co-op student for the Royal Canadian Navy. She completed projects for the Environmental Department, such as improving their spill response training program. Savannah created practice exercises and even generated an adventure game for personnel to improve their spill response methods without negatively impacting the environment.

Savannah also assisted the department by writing reports, completing environmental assessments, taking water samples and more.

💬“This co-op contributed to my UVic experience by allowing me to apply my classroom knowledge to the real world and get a better sense of a potential science-based career. By placing me on a naval base, I also gained valuable experience working alongside the military and within a government setting, which has been very eye-opening and informative.” - Savannah Dam

Looking to secure a job in a field that interests you? Visit https://ow.ly/Jc7U50YFijO to learn more.

📸 Dale Hibrant

Mason Kurek (mechanical engineering) spent his co-op as a student estimator for PCL Construction in Vancouver, BC. During his work term, Mason contributed to major infrastructure projects such as the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant and St. Paul’s Hospital. He supported the preconstruction team by performing quantity take-offs, reviewing subcontractor pricing, compiling detailed cost estimates and more.

💬“This co-op made everything I’ve been learning at UVic feel real. I got to apply what I know in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment and see how engineering connects with real budgets, timelines and teams. It’s pushed me to become sharper with details, more confident working with others, and more aware of what goes into big infrastructure projects.” - Mason Kurek

Ready to see your learning brought to life with hands-on experience? Visit https://ow.ly/RPRL50YFibV to find opportunities.

📸 Mason Kurek

Last summer, Nevé Sarrasin (she/her, business/commerce) worked as an event coordinator with the Parksville Beach Festival Society. She spent her days at the sand castle site where she gave orientations, supervised groups of volunteers, answered guest questions and led tours. Nevé also communicated with festival sponsors.

💬“Co-ops are one of the best things you can do in your years at UVic. They give you great work experience, help you develop your skills, allow you to meet new people and travel. They really do help you prepare for your career after your degree.” - Nevé Sarrasin

Looking for fun opportunities to apply your studies to the professional world? Check out https://ow.ly/r9mp50YFi6g for more information.

📸 Naomi DeJong

Jacey Sharpe (she/her, biochemistry) spent her co-op as a tree planter across central Canada. She planted tens of thousands of seedlings while assisting with other logistical tasks. Jacey also engaged in camp life responsibilities and supported the daily functioning of mobile planting crews. She made a positive environmental impact by contributing to reforestation efforts in ecologically significant areas.

💬“This co-op expanded my UVic experience by providing hands-on learning outside a traditional classroom. It deepened my understanding of environmental restoration, sustainability, and ecosystem management, while also teaching practical skills like endurance, problem-solving and teamwork.” - Jacey Sharpe

Interested in jobs that value sustainability? Visit https://ow.ly/VgQ850YFi2R to learn more.

📸 Jacey Sharpe

Sophie Gander (electrical engineering) spent her co-op working for BC Hydro in Victoria. She modelled and analysed power distribution equipment and recommend system improvements. Sophie also recorded deficiencies of submarine cables around BC.

💬“I contributed to BC Hydro by developing a comprehensive job guide for all of distribution engineering province-wide, detailing the best process to complete electrical cable capacity studies.

💬“I also made a huge impact completing these studies myself, leading to project engineers improving their designs to futureproof substation capacity for expected growth.” - Sophie Gander

Interested in gaining hands-on experience in your chosen field? Find more information at https://ow.ly/aPhz50YFhXa.

📸 Ilia Kalmanson

Daniel Toombs (business/commerce) spent his co-op as a summer camp manager with Coal Harbour Community Centre in Vancouver, BC. He led a team of seven staff members, oversaw children’s safety and gained practice managing a large budget. Some of Daniel’s responsibilities included planning the camp schedule, coordinating trips, handling parent communications and more.

💬“This work term allowed me to put my leadership, organization and teamwork skills into practice in a high-responsibility role. Managing staff, budgets and daily operations gave me valuable experience in decision-making and people management, which directly connects to my business studies at UVic.” - Daniel Toombs.

Interested in applying your studies to the professional world? Look for opportunities at https://ow.ly/2Jlg50YFhSX.

📸 Daniel Toombs