Benefits of Co-op to Students

I remember one question, “What were you thinking the moment that you decided to join Co-op?” The beauty of this question is that it is not just about why you chose Co-op, but more about exploring the inner motivation and logic when facing uncertain changes. After the 3-day Outward Bound Training, adaptation to 6-month work life and networking with different level of people, I feel more confident towards things that I have never tried.   My Co-op placement at Arup (Climate Risk & Resilience Team) was full of outcomes. I participated in several projects alongside professionals, ranging from hazards simulation to client connection. Full-time working gave me insightful views on various topics about climate, enabling me to understand the actual demands towards climate change and generate robust solutions or recommendations.

Through the Co-op learning journey with all the talents and peers, I have been given so many valuable opportunities to step out from my comfort zone and unearth my capabilities. A series of activities including the Outward Bound training and soft skills courses provided different ways to fathom myself more and get us well-prepared for the future career. I learnt how to work better in a team with different peers by showing empathy as well as respect, and building trust within a group which helps with the establishment of relationships in my future workplace. I enjoyed learning in these positive environments and felt blessed to have an amiable relationship with the cohort. Everything I gained from the Co-op programme would definitely give me great motivation to become a better self and a skillful workplace talent in the future.

Joining the Co-op programme has given me the precious platform to be exposed to a variety of rare opportunities which have allowed me to grow, in both self and career. Whether it’s through the challenges faced in the Outward Bound training, the skills and knowledge I’ve learned from industry veterans, or the friends I’ve made along the way, Co-op has helped me create a lot of memories that I’ll cherish.

Joining Co-op@CUHK and the career Boot-camp is an honour and a pleasure. I am confident that it is a fantastic opportunity to grow professionally and personally. Our knowledgeable coaches gave me new perspectives about my values and traits, and how I can highlight them in my professional appearance and the training equipped me with essential interview techniques that I can readily apply in my interviews. The caring OCEP team always has good advice, creates countless occasions to perfect our workplace skills, and pushes us outside our comfort zone, so that we can grow beyond. I was incredibly impressed with our AI Interview training which helps us master an increasingly important skill and feel confident in the future.

I still remember how hopeless I was before joining COOP. I couldn't pass any internship interviews. Thankfully, I got a chance to transform in COOP. Through this programme, I gained confidence not only in my interview skills, but also in my professional abilities. My placement at Siemens was fantastic. I had a very supportive supervisor and many nice seniors. They were always generous with their time and knowledge and always gave me both career and life advices. While there were certainly challenges along the way, the experience helped me better understand myself, my capabilities, and my career aspiration. Looking back, my COOP experience was instrumental in helping me grow both professionally and personally.

We have not only gained valuable workplace experience in COOP, but also a new perspective on our personal development. The fast-paced environment at JnJ MedTech was a big adjustment, and I felt overwhelmed in the first few weeks. I started to spend extra time with my colleagues, asking questions and observing their work processes. I also turned to be more proactive in identifying and solving problems, and was even able to bring a fresh perspective to the table. Despite the initial difficulties, I adapted to the company's culture, work style and expectations. I was exposed to different approaches to supply chain management. Indeed, I underwent transformative changes throughout the Co-op journey.