We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Ajevan Mahadaya

Student's photo

Computer Science Student

Company: CIBC

Co-op Job Title: Application Developer - Co-op

What motivated you to apply for Co-op?

What motivated me to apply for Co-op was my family and all the success stories that I’ve heard from people within my family that came from co-op so I thought to apply to the Co-op program to not only gain experience and success but to also get paid so that I can pay off my debts.

Can you describe your position in a few sentences?

My position at CIBC was more of a DevOps Engineer role, I had to maintain the build and release processes that both my departments had in place as well as find suggestions to help improve their process if there were any that I saw fit.

Did you receive training to perform your duties? Please Explain.

I did receive training to perform my duties. Most of the applications that I used at work were applications that I’ve never heard of coming out of school to do my co-op. So, my team was very helpful to provide the training for those applications.

What was your work atmosphere like? (flexibility, formality, team centric, supportive)

The work atmosphere was very team-centric and supportive. Both departments were very friendly, I got the chance to learn as well as give back to the team. It was very formal and there was some flexibility in both atmospheres.

What new skills were you able to learn/develop during your co-op placement?

I was able to learn how to be organized when doing work, making sure that I had a task-list and following through the task-list. I was also able to reinforce my determination by never giving up when it comes to the task. I was also able to learn new applications while at both departments which reinforced my willingness to adapt.

How did your experience compare with your expectations?

My experiences definitely were similar to my expectations, but there were some surprising things that came along the way but overall it met my high expectations.

What was your proudest moment?

My proudest moment was being named an Exceptional Student for both departments and being able to attend a networking event with all of the senior leaders at the bank. I was able to network with the Chief Innovation Officer at CIBC and to be honest, I am grateful that the co-op program gave me the opportunity to join CIBC.

What advice would you offer to current students thinking about pursuing co-op?

My advice would be to always be persistent and never give up. Keep on applying to jobs, and do not be afraid of rejection. Always apply if you feel that you meet at least 50%, 60%, or even 70%, let the employer tell you that you are not fit for the job.