ÓČÎďĘÓƵ

For many students, the thought of stepping into the workforce can feel like a leap into the unknown. For Economics student , joining the Co-op work program was a way to test the waters, which became a transformative experience that helped him discover his strengths, uncover unexpected interests, and build his confidence.

An Economics major with a concentration in Economic Data Analysis and a certificate in Geographic Information Science, Zizic completed two hybrid co-op work terms with BC Hydro and Employment and Social Development Canada, adding more than a year of work experience under his belt. As he wraps up his final semester at ÓČÎďĘÓƵ (SFU), he feels grateful for the opportunity to gain hands-on experience not only for his resume, but also for him to confidently launch his career after graduation.

Any advice for students considering Co-op but worried about finishing their degree on time?

When I first started university, my goal was to finish as quickly as possible—do my four years and get out. But after doing Co-op, I feel much more prepared and acclimated to an office environment and the expectations of working life. It’s a great way to make money and ease your way into the workforce with low expectations and minimal stress.

Delaying your graduation by a year or so to do Co-op—where you get paid and gain valuable skills that will help you land a job after graduation—isn’t such a bad trade-off, I promise.

How did your co-op experience challenge the misconception that Arts students struggle to find jobs?

Do employers prioritize students in harder fields with high GPAs and work experience? To a certain extent, yeah. But many are also willing to take a chance on students who are eager to learn and genuinely interested in the job. Arts degrees are flexible, and the skills you develop can be transferred to different careers. The challenge is finding ways to bridge that gap and explain to the employer how you'll adapt and be able to make meaningful contributions.

Lastly, if you are struggling to land a co-op work term, remember it's just a numbers game and to keep submitting applications. Showing up and putting in the effort will get you to where you want to be.

How did your co-op work experiences help you feel more prepared for the job market?

Not only did I learn skills on the job that I didn’t get the chance to at school—like dashboard creation and pricing analysis—but I also gained actual work experience that I can showcase on my resume and discuss in interviews. It’s one thing to learn theory in class, but applying it in real-world situations is a completely different experience. Plus, I’ve built connections I can reach out to, whether for a reference or to explore opportunities to be bridged into a position after graduation.

What have been your favourite courses? 

A big theme from these courses was the opportunity to work on projects and assignments that gave me interesting highlights to discuss in interviews and on my resume.

ECON 480 - Economics of Labour Market Policy
The highlight of this course was learning how to use STATA and utilizing Canadian Census data to estimate the return of a bachelor's degree for different fields of study.

ECON 484 - Machine Learning
Although I'm currently taking this course, it's one of my favourites. We focus on applying machine learning skills in R through exercises and assignments using real data. One of my projects in this course is creating a machine learning model to predict the quality of wine based on its physiochemical properties.

GEOG 352 - Spatial Analysis
This course is where I became comfortable producing high-quality GIS maps that display valuable information, and I got plenty of practice in doing so in ArcGIS Pro.