Background:
Heidi joined the PhD Co-op program as a PhD candidate in English Literature and Science and Technology Studies (STS). In 2021, Heidi completed a work term with the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit.
Connecting Passion with Meaningful Work: What drew Heidi to this position?
For her first four-month work term, Heidi worked at the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit to develop an online training module for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The module teaches researchers how to use social media to exchange knowledge and get their research out to the public. This module is now available to UBC researchers through the Arts Amplifier Training Hub.
Through this co-op term, Heidi learned that she enjoyed the project-based nature of the position. She discovered that being able to begin a project, create something tangible, and see the product at the end of the term was rewarding. Because dissertations can take years to complete, this co-op position allowed her to see a shorter-term product of her labour.
In addition, Heidi liked the idea of getting a sense of the wider landscape of the university. The cross-disciplinary nature of the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit, as well as its position on campus, allowed her to survey the different pedagogical approaches that each discipline takes.
The Knowledge Exchange Unit works like a hub, so lots of departments and units on campus can cross paths here. I liked the idea of a working for a place where I could see how different parts of the university system interact and engage with each other… I wouldn’t get that by only staying in my own department.
Kernels of Wisdom: Heidi’s Experience
What surprised Heidi about the job?
Heidi was surprised by her own ability to see the project from beginning to end. Heidi had a direct hand in shaping what the final product looked like, from beginning with compiled materials and research to finishing with a complete training module. Being able to apply skills that she learned from her degree as well as new skills gave Heidi valuable experience and new understandings of how she learns and can implement her expertise.
About creativity
The instructional design techniques Heidi learned from designing this online training module allowed her to connect with her creative side by constructing a narrative in her lessons. In this work, she discovered one key difference between being creative as a PhD student and being creative as an employee: the timeline. For a PhD student, the tangible product of labour and creativity is undetermined for years, which can be isolating and frustrating. In a workplace, feedback is more immediate: supervisors and coworkers provide quick responses to continuously submitted work. Working at the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit, Heidi saw quick results and turnaround from her creativity.
About productivity
Taking time off her dissertation has given Heidi renewed focus. Her PhD may take a little longer to complete because she is participating in co-op, but Heidi asks: what is productivity? In her perspective, she can take a few months off from her dissertation for co-op, bring back the skills and experiences she learned, and return renewed, with a fresh set of eyes and ideas for her work.
Taking the time to do co-op has ultimately been more useful and helped me focus better than if I just had large blocks of time to mull over my dissertation.
How did doing co-op influence Heidi’s PhD?
Throughout the work term, Heidi has had to confront questions about her working habits, especially while working remotely. She has reflected on her optimal working conditions, work routine, and writing discipline. This experience has reminded Heidi how to be protective and deliberate of time and space given to work, and allowed her to think about her relationships to work, routine, and discipline – all of which can be distorted for a PhD student working on their dissertation.
Because this was a project-based job, it was less helpful to think of work as a 9-5 and more about what objectives I wanted to complete this week. Building this habit translated well to my PhD work – I’m going back to my dissertation now thinking, “What are my goals for the week? I’m going to get this, this, and this done by today,” which helps a lot more than preparing to sit in front of a blank screen for 5 hours, not being able to conjure up something.
Expanding Horizons: What is next for Heidi?
Through this project, Heidi discovered a passion for content creation, researching, writing, and editing. Heidi values the practical experience she gained in developing engaging lesson plans. She plans to bring the knowledge she has learned about systematic course design to her career and PhD. In the future, she wants to pursue work that will further her development in these areas of skills.
Advice for Students Considering Joining PhD Co-op
Heidi encourages students to be confident in their skills and experiences. Employers in co-op are excited about student research and are willing to support their employees in trying new things. She suggests that Arts PhD students consider pursuing a co-op work term and be open-minded about the opportunities that come through this path.
Don’t undersell yourself, and don’t be intimidated by a job description with many expectations. Employees know you are a student, and a good workplace will be invested in helping you develop the skills you’re interested in.
If you’re not sure about doing co-op because you think it’s not useful or takes too much time, I’d encourage you to reconsider. For me, co-op was a really enriching experience that allowed me to explore interests, take risks, and find opportunities that I wouldn’t have had when doing my own PhD research. If you’re exploring career options and want to experiment with new interests, co-op is a great opportunity—I’m surprised more people don’t take advantage of it.
Background:
Heidi joined the PhD Co-op program as a PhD candidate in English Literature and Science and Technology Studies (STS). In 2021, Heidi completed a work term with the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit.
Connecting Passion with Meaningful Work: What drew Heidi to this position?
For her first four-month work term, Heidi worked at the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit to develop an online training module for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The module teaches researchers how to use social media to exchange knowledge and get their research out to the public. This module is now available to UBC researchers through the Arts Amplifier Training Hub.
Through this co-op term, Heidi learned that she enjoyed the project-based nature of the position. She discovered that being able to begin a project, create something tangible, and see the product at the end of the term was rewarding. Because dissertations can take years to complete, this co-op position allowed her to see a shorter-term product of her labour.
In addition, Heidi liked the idea of getting a sense of the wider landscape of the university. The cross-disciplinary nature of the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit, as well as its position on campus, allowed her to survey the different pedagogical approaches that each discipline takes.
The Knowledge Exchange Unit works like a hub, so lots of departments and units on campus can cross paths here. I liked the idea of a working for a place where I could see how different parts of the university system interact and engage with each other… I wouldn’t get that by only staying in my own department.
Kernels of Wisdom: Heidi’s Experience
What surprised Heidi about the job?
Heidi was surprised by her own ability to see the project from beginning to end. Heidi had a direct hand in shaping what the final product looked like, from beginning with compiled materials and research to finishing with a complete training module. Being able to apply skills that she learned from her degree as well as new skills gave Heidi valuable experience and new understandings of how she learns and can implement her expertise.
About creativity
The instructional design techniques Heidi learned from designing this online training module allowed her to connect with her creative side by constructing a narrative in her lessons. In this work, she discovered one key difference between being creative as a PhD student and being creative as an employee: the timeline. For a PhD student, the tangible product of labour and creativity is undetermined for years, which can be isolating and frustrating. In a workplace, feedback is more immediate: supervisors and coworkers provide quick responses to continuously submitted work. Working at the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit, Heidi saw quick results and turnaround from her creativity.
About productivity
Taking time off her dissertation has given Heidi renewed focus. Her PhD may take a little longer to complete because she is participating in co-op, but Heidi asks: what is productivity? In her perspective, she can take a few months off from her dissertation for co-op, bring back the skills and experiences she learned, and return renewed, with a fresh set of eyes and ideas for her work.
Taking the time to do co-op has ultimately been more useful and helped me focus better than if I just had large blocks of time to mull over my dissertation.
How did doing co-op influence Heidi’s PhD?
Throughout the work term, Heidi has had to confront questions about her working habits, especially while working remotely. She has reflected on her optimal working conditions, work routine, and writing discipline. This experience has reminded Heidi how to be protective and deliberate of time and space given to work, and allowed her to think about her relationships to work, routine, and discipline – all of which can be distorted for a PhD student working on their dissertation.
Because this was a project-based job, it was less helpful to think of work as a 9-5 and more about what objectives I wanted to complete this week. Building this habit translated well to my PhD work – I’m going back to my dissertation now thinking, “What are my goals for the week? I’m going to get this, this, and this done by today,” which helps a lot more than preparing to sit in front of a blank screen for 5 hours, not being able to conjure up something.
Expanding Horizons: What is next for Heidi?
Through this project, Heidi discovered a passion for content creation, researching, writing, and editing. Heidi values the practical experience she gained in developing engaging lesson plans. She plans to bring the knowledge she has learned about systematic course design to her career and PhD. In the future, she wants to pursue work that will further her development in these areas of skills.
Advice for Students Considering Joining PhD Co-op
Heidi encourages students to be confident in their skills and experiences. Employers in co-op are excited about student research and are willing to support their employees in trying new things. She suggests that Arts PhD students consider pursuing a co-op work term and be open-minded about the opportunities that come through this path.
Don’t undersell yourself, and don’t be intimidated by a job description with many expectations. Employees know you are a student, and a good workplace will be invested in helping you develop the skills you’re interested in.
If you’re not sure about doing co-op because you think it’s not useful or takes too much time, I’d encourage you to reconsider. For me, co-op was a really enriching experience that allowed me to explore interests, take risks, and find opportunities that I wouldn’t have had when doing my own PhD research. If you’re exploring career options and want to experiment with new interests, co-op is a great opportunity—I’m surprised more people don’t take advantage of it.