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My (Almost Complete) Journey as a Co-op Student

Published on April 3, 2024

Contributed by Jordan Lundy, SeisWare Co-op Software Developer

Reflecting on my (almost) complete co-op term

As I approach the end of my Co-op experience at SeisWare, I’m beginning to feel sentimental about the entirety of my time here. From the memories and the people I’ve met, to the learning and growth I’ve experienced, it has all been phenomenal. I like to think of my experience at SeisWare as a journey since I didn’t know what to expect when I started, and yet here I am ten months later with a plethora of experiences to share. I can say without a doubt that my time spent at SeisWare has been fantastic, and I owe it all to the staff here and the outstanding company that you all take pride in.

The point of an internship is to develop as a student and as an intern, but also to be a benefit to the company. I strongly believe SeisWare has allowed me to flourish and has allowed me to develop immensely as a software developer. I have been able to provide valuable work for the company along the way in different facets, which I believe has made my Co-op experience exceptional. I feel like my work has had meaning here, and this separates how SeisWare treats its Co-ops compared to other internships out there.

“I feel like my work has had meaning here, and this separates how SeisWare treats its Co-ops compared to other internships out there.”

A journey of discovery

As an intern I have felt valued from the day I entered the orange doors. I have taken part in different activities such as working on unit tests in the Software Development Kit (SDK), working on maintenance of the software, and even taking part in cross-team testing. This broad range of tasks has allowed me to really find what I like about software and has given me a new appreciation for software.

I discovered both my strengths and weaknesses. This is far from being a bad thing. I have had the chance to work on these weaknesses during my time here, and I have seen substantial growth in my capabilities by doing so. I can admit that I have never been the best at debugging software, and I believe many young developers can say the same. I’m not ashamed to admit print statements was my go-to when it came to debugging software back in school. However, working on bugs and maintenance in the last few months has allowed me to directly work with the debugger, and I now feel like I have developed a skill which I used to consider a weakness! This is one of the many examples of where I can definitively say I have grown!

I believe learning is an everlasting process since we never stop learning in every aspect of life. We are all going through life for the first time, so there is always something to learn from every experience, and that applies to my career as a software developer. I will continue to seek improvement wherever my career takes me.

“One of the biggest lessons I have learned here has been to take risks! Learning is never comfortable, and that’s a good thing. It’s essential to push yourself to try new things and even to fail sometimes.”

Learning to take risks

One of the biggest lessons I have learned here has been to take risks! Learning is never comfortable, and that’s a good thing. It’s essential to push yourself to try new things and even to fail sometimes. No one has achieved success in life without experiencing failure along the way. One of my biggest inspirations, Steve Jobs, once said, “If you’re afraid of failing, you won’t get very far.” I believe taking risks is what allows you to reach new heights, especially as a Co-op student. Failure is inevitable at times, but what counts is you learn from it and continue to persevere.

“The more you put into your personal development by taking on new tasks and responsibilities, the further you will get.”

My advice to future Co-op students is to reach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud, as Kanye West once said. You get what you put into every experience in life, and in any Co-op or internship as well, the more you put into your personal development by taking on new tasks and responsibilities, the further you will get. Sometimes we’re our biggest inhibitor when it comes to trying new things because we fear the unknown, but it’s essential to realize this and maximize your potential by taking that leap of faith and trying new things! So, take risks!

A sense of belonging

Looking back almost a year ago, I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety but also excitement before I started here. The main reason I wanted an internship was to force me out of my comfort zone, and to provide me with real-life job experience. I really didn’t know what to expect, as this was not only my first software job, but also my first real job in general! Despite the anxiety and fears, I could sense that I was in good hands, and to any future Co-op student coming here, I can say with certainty you will be too.

Everybody here is here because they want to be, and it shows. I have had the pleasure of working with or meeting almost everybody here, and everybody here wants to see the company flourish. Everybody is willing to help. As an intern, it can be hard to ask for help, but working here has shown me that everybody at SeisWare cares about seeing each other succeed.

“There aren’t many companies out there quite like SeisWare, and if I had to go back and make the decision where to spend my internship all over again, I’d choose SeisWare in a heartbeat.”

All in all, I am thrilled to have been able to spend the duration of my Co-op experience here at SeisWare. The combination of company culture, the people who work here, and the common desire to uphold exceptional standards as a company remains evident each and every day. There aren’t many companies out there quite like SeisWare, and if I had to go back and make the decision where to spend my internship all over again, I’d choose SeisWare in a heartbeat.

 

  • Jordan Lundy is a third-year software engineering student from the University of Calgary.

 

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