Colby Payne
Major in Honours English Literature, Minor in Russian
Where did Colby work?
Work Term 1:
Summer Camp Instructor, Fraser River Discovery Centre
Work Terms 2 & 3:
Junior Analyst – Marketing and Communications, Global Affairs Canada
What did Colby Accomplish?
Fraser River Discovery Centre (FRDC)
At the Fraser River Discovery Centre, Colby taught summer camps for children ages 5-11. Her other duties included preparing program materials for the camps and museum events, sorting and archiving FRDC files, and cleaning and maintaining the facility and exhibits.
Global Affairs Canada
At Global Affairs Canada, Colby’s marketing accomplishments included writing and editing presentations and reports for the International Education division, developing social media content for use at Canada’s embassies, and editing and restructuring the International Education Wikipedia site.
Connections Between Work and Studies
On the surface, Colby explains that her co-op positions have not been directly connected to her studies in the field of English literature. However, her co-op terms illuminated the possibilities that a degree in English offers, given the transferable skills that she developed through her English courses.
The most significant of these skills is communication, which she used frequently at Global Affairs while communicating with colleagues across the International Education division and at Canada’s embassies and consulates abroad. She adds that critical thinking and analysis skills are also prominent when studying English, and these skills also contributed to her work with Global Affairs.
“When pursuing a degree like English that doesn’t necessarily have an obvious career path, I have found that it is very important to gain relevant work experience and develop your skills for potential future career paths, and my positions both helped me to do so, and allowed me to gain insight into which types of work I do and do not enjoy, as well as what I find fulfilling and what work environments I enjoy.”
Benefits of Co-op Now and in the Future
The main benefit of co-op, in Colby’s view, has been the chance to experience different jobs and work environments to see what she finds energizing and fulfilling. She also gained relevant work experience and skills that have helped her to find Work Learn positions during the school year, and will continue to be beneficial as she looks forward to job search after graduation.
Through co-op, Colby also gained strong skills in writing resumes and cover letters and in interviewing. The job search process also required Colby to review and evaluate many job descriptions, which enabled her to recognize gaps in her own skills that she could endeavor to develop and become a stronger and more well-rounded applicant in the future.
Advice for Other Indigenous Students
Colby’s message to other Indigenous students considering applying to the Arts Co-op Program:
“I would recommend that Indigenous students apply for the Arts Co-op Program as it is an excellent way to gain work experience, receive insight into the types of work that you do and do not enjoy, and translate your studies into potential career paths.
Although it can be difficult and demoralizing if you struggle to get your first position (personally it took me over 30 applications), remember that with each application you are refining your skills and working towards the eventual position that you land.
Finally, I think it is important to trust that the universe will guide you towards the position that is right for you, even if on the surface it does not seem like the position you are most interested in; there is value to be found in any work experience or job application.”
Colby Payne
Major in Honours English Literature, Minor in Russian
Where did Colby work?
Work Term 1:
Summer Camp Instructor, Fraser River Discovery Centre
Work Terms 2 & 3:
Junior Analyst – Marketing and Communications, Global Affairs Canada
What did Colby Accomplish?
Fraser River Discovery Centre (FRDC)
At the Fraser River Discovery Centre, Colby taught summer camps for children ages 5-11. Her other duties included preparing program materials for the camps and museum events, sorting and archiving FRDC files, and cleaning and maintaining the facility and exhibits.
Global Affairs Canada
At Global Affairs Canada, Colby’s marketing accomplishments included writing and editing presentations and reports for the International Education division, developing social media content for use at Canada’s embassies, and editing and restructuring the International Education Wikipedia site.
Connections Between Work and Studies
On the surface, Colby explains that her co-op positions have not been directly connected to her studies in the field of English literature. However, her co-op terms illuminated the possibilities that a degree in English offers, given the transferable skills that she developed through her English courses.
The most significant of these skills is communication, which she used frequently at Global Affairs while communicating with colleagues across the International Education division and at Canada’s embassies and consulates abroad. She adds that critical thinking and analysis skills are also prominent when studying English, and these skills also contributed to her work with Global Affairs.
“When pursuing a degree like English that doesn’t necessarily have an obvious career path, I have found that it is very important to gain relevant work experience and develop your skills for potential future career paths, and my positions both helped me to do so, and allowed me to gain insight into which types of work I do and do not enjoy, as well as what I find fulfilling and what work environments I enjoy.”
Benefits of Co-op Now and in the Future
The main benefit of co-op, in Colby’s view, has been the chance to experience different jobs and work environments to see what she finds energizing and fulfilling. She also gained relevant work experience and skills that have helped her to find Work Learn positions during the school year, and will continue to be beneficial as she looks forward to job search after graduation.
Through co-op, Colby also gained strong skills in writing resumes and cover letters and in interviewing. The job search process also required Colby to review and evaluate many job descriptions, which enabled her to recognize gaps in her own skills that she could endeavor to develop and become a stronger and more well-rounded applicant in the future.
Advice for Other Indigenous Students
Colby’s message to other Indigenous students considering applying to the Arts Co-op Program:
“I would recommend that Indigenous students apply for the Arts Co-op Program as it is an excellent way to gain work experience, receive insight into the types of work that you do and do not enjoy, and translate your studies into potential career paths.
Although it can be difficult and demoralizing if you struggle to get your first position (personally it took me over 30 applications), remember that with each application you are refining your skills and working towards the eventual position that you land.
Finally, I think it is important to trust that the universe will guide you towards the position that is right for you, even if on the surface it does not seem like the position you are most interested in; there is value to be found in any work experience or job application.”