Lee Barrett-Lennard
BA International Relations and MA Political Science
We asked UBC alumnus Lee Barrett-Lennard to share his unique perspectives of his time as a student in the Arts Co-op Program.
As an undergraduate Arts Co-op student, Lee worked at the UBC Cloud Innovation Centre as a Project Assistant and later as a Jr. Analyst with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. As a graduate co-op student, Lee served as a Junior Political and Trade Officer for the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Cambodia.
Q: How did your co-op experience align with your studies and help you identify a career path post-graduation?
My undergraduate degree was in International Relations, and my master’s degree was in Political Science, so my work experience with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Global Affairs Canada has certainly been in line with that. However, I also developed a keen interest in environmental science and politics during my studies, which led me to specifically seek out opportunities with a sustainability and conservation component. After graduating from my master’s and from the co-op program, I decided to move into the private sector, and am now working full-time for a sustainability consulting firm.
Q: How did your co-op experiences shape your early career exploration?
My co-op terms undoubtedly had a huge effect on my career outcomes. Each co-op term is built on the previous one, and it is thanks to my co-op experience that I am in my current position. I feel like co-op has given me a strong head start in my career, both because it has given me a good idea of what kind of work I like and where my strengths lie, and because it has strengthened my resume. When considering applicants for early-career positions, employers like to see a variety of experience, and co-op is great because there is no expectation to have stayed in a particular position for X number of years. It is like a cheat code for getting experience in a variety of industries without having to spend several years doing so.
One of the biggest things that co-op has done for me is that it has helped me understand what kind of career I am looking for and what sorts of characteristics I value in a job. As a younger person looking at career options, we are often drawn to what sounds interesting or impressive. However, every job is complex, and it is impossible to understand whether a particular career is right for you without having experience in that field. That might sound obvious, but in my personal experience, some of the jobs that I was most excited about getting turned out to be the ones I enjoyed the least.
Q: What advice do you have for current co-op students?
Co-op saved years of bouncing around in my career (and potentially education) by helping me to understand exactly what I value in my working life. For that reason, my biggest piece of advice for individuals entering the co-op program is don’t be afraid to try different things and put yourself forward for opportunities that aren’t part of your ‘plan,’ and, by the same token, don’t be afraid to be honest to yourself about whether you actually like that dream job that you land. Life’s too short to make career decisions based on anything other than your own personal fulfillment.
Lee Barrett-Lennard
BA International Relations and MA Political Science
We asked UBC alumnus Lee Barrett-Lennard to share his unique perspectives of his time as a student in the Arts Co-op Program.
As an undergraduate Arts Co-op student, Lee worked at the UBC Cloud Innovation Centre as a Project Assistant and later as a Jr. Analyst with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. As a graduate co-op student, Lee served as a Junior Political and Trade Officer for the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Cambodia.
Q: How did your co-op experience align with your studies and help you identify a career path post-graduation?
My undergraduate degree was in International Relations, and my master’s degree was in Political Science, so my work experience with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Global Affairs Canada has certainly been in line with that. However, I also developed a keen interest in environmental science and politics during my studies, which led me to specifically seek out opportunities with a sustainability and conservation component. After graduating from my master’s and from the co-op program, I decided to move into the private sector, and am now working full-time for a sustainability consulting firm.
Q: How did your co-op experiences shape your early career exploration?
My co-op terms undoubtedly had a huge effect on my career outcomes. Each co-op term is built on the previous one, and it is thanks to my co-op experience that I am in my current position. I feel like co-op has given me a strong head start in my career, both because it has given me a good idea of what kind of work I like and where my strengths lie, and because it has strengthened my resume. When considering applicants for early-career positions, employers like to see a variety of experience, and co-op is great because there is no expectation to have stayed in a particular position for X number of years. It is like a cheat code for getting experience in a variety of industries without having to spend several years doing so.
One of the biggest things that co-op has done for me is that it has helped me understand what kind of career I am looking for and what sorts of characteristics I value in a job. As a younger person looking at career options, we are often drawn to what sounds interesting or impressive. However, every job is complex, and it is impossible to understand whether a particular career is right for you without having experience in that field. That might sound obvious, but in my personal experience, some of the jobs that I was most excited about getting turned out to be the ones I enjoyed the least.
Q: What advice do you have for current co-op students?
Co-op saved years of bouncing around in my career (and potentially education) by helping me to understand exactly what I value in my working life. For that reason, my biggest piece of advice for individuals entering the co-op program is don’t be afraid to try different things and put yourself forward for opportunities that aren’t part of your ‘plan,’ and, by the same token, don’t be afraid to be honest to yourself about whether you actually like that dream job that you land. Life’s too short to make career decisions based on anything other than your own personal fulfillment.