Gaining meaningful experience is invaluable for all postsecondary students. It is especially crucial for international students seeking to gain experience in a Canadian workplace. For Jainish Shaileshbhai Patel, a student in the Master of Engineering – Systems and Technology – Automation Smart Systems program, pursuing a co-op has been an essential part of his graduate studies journey.
Wanting to pursue a co-op is one thing, but securing an opportunity in a desired field is another. Patel credits McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering Centre for Career Growth and Experience (the Centre) with providing support to boost his opportunities and confidence. All graduate students pursuing co-op at McMaster Engineering are required to complete a co-op preparation course to ensure they are well-equipped to secure a role and succeed in it.
Patel also made use of the Centre’s talent development team, including regular meetings with Career Educators to get his resume critiqued and conduct mock interviews. The Centre hosts hundreds of career development workshops and touchpoints with employers each year.
“I learned a lot about myself throughout the co-op hiring process,” says Patel. “I’d advise future students to take advantage of resources available through the Centre and to listen closely to their professional insights.”
The preparation paid off. Since September 2024, Patel has been working as a Business Intelligence Developer at John Deere Canada ULC in Grimsby, Ontario. In this role, he on various projects focuses on automating manual processes, developing dashboards to enhance data analysis, and improving data management. His work contributes to streamlining operations, increasing efficiency, and supporting previous projects.
I learned a lot about myself through the co-op hiring process. I’d advise future students to take advantage of resources available through the Centre and to listen closely to their professional insights.
Patel’s experience at John Deere Canada ULC has not only built his skill set in data engineering, but it has also provided assurance of the path he’d like to take post-graduation. “I’d like to work in data engineering with a focus on coding,” he says. “My time at McMaster and John Deere has helped prepare me for my next steps.”
To support his peers in having a similarly rewarding experience, Patel is participating in the International Grad Navigator program through McMaster’s School of Graduate Studies. As a grad navigator, he is helping new international students connect with peers and navigate their first-term experience.
Learn more about co-op at McMaster Engineering through the Centre for Career Growth and Experience
