When I joined Co-op at StFX, I had no idea what to expect. I had talked to a few industry professionals in high school, and when I told them I was going into business, many of them told me that I should join the co-op program if I had the chance. They explained to me that the companies they work for prefer to hire people who have done internships or co-ops with them because it acts as a trial to see what type of employee you are, and if you fit in with the company. More importantly, it also gives the student, the opportunity to see if they like the work, and the work environment, as it's probably brand new to them.
My three co-op terms at two different companies were extremely valuable.
My first term at Edmond Gagnon Ltd., in Grand-Barachois, NB, taught be more about the fishing industry and how family businesses operate than I could have ever imagined. It gave me the new perspective that most businesses deal with very different issues than we would never see in the classroom. It taught me to be resourceful, as there are naturally less available resources than working for large companies. The owners and the staff taught me so much about not just accounting, but professional relationships, what made them successful in business, and so much more about the fishing industry, which is a big driver of the economy in the Atlantic provinces.
My two other work terms were back-to-back from January to August 2021 at Grant Thornton LLP in Moncton. This term led to me getting a full-time position with them, which I started in October 2023. I owe most of my professional knowledge and technical experience to this work term. I was fortunate enough to experience a busy season in public accounting before starting full-time. This gave me the chance to see "what it's really like" in a public accounting firm. I enjoyed my experience and decided that I wanted to pursue my CPA designation with them. At least for me, they treated me as a new full-time hire. I got the same training, and worked on the same engagements as a new hire would. I felt like the work I was doing was actually helping our clients and colleagues, not just pushing paper or getting people coffee, as they say. It was a steep learning curve, but it helped me so much to grow as a person and a professional. Most of my connections in the New Brunswick business community came through this work experience. I was very fortunate that everyone is the Moncton office was very nice and always ready to help out. That's what ultimately made me choose to stay at Grant Thornton, the people I work with. I would not have met these people or had this incredible work experience was it not for the co-op program that helped me get the job.
I am now entering the Assurance module of the CPA program, and I still work at Grant Thornton in Moncton. It's hard work, but I love my job and my coworkers. The co-op program opened these doors for me, and I'm very thankful to have been a part of it.
