For Jaskirat Singh, applying to Brock’s co-op program as an upper-year student was a chance to accelerate his professional development.

“Co-op transformed my academic journey into real-world professional growth and gave me the confidence I didn’t yet know I had,” says the fourth-year Business Administration student.

Singh was able to pursue co-op opportunities thanks to Brock’s Co-op Year 1 Transfer initiative, which allows current full-time undergraduate students who have completed at least their first year to apply to participate in co-op programs. Students interested in applying for the Year 1 Transfer initiative can do so until Monday, June 1. Reviews will begin immediately after the deadline, with admissions starting in mid-June.

Transition Advisor for Co-op Education Sarah Anderson says the benefits of co-op go beyond paid work experience, resume‑building opportunities and valuable industry connections.

“Co-op is also about discovering what lights you up, building confidence in your abilities, exploring future career paths and realizing the impact you can make in the world,” says Sarah Anderson, Transition Advisor with the Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) team.

Through his co-op work terms at the Ontario Treasury Board Secretariat and the Ministry of Transportation, Singh says he developed professional communication, stakeholder relationship management, document management and problem-solving skills.

“These applied skills, especially navigating organizational structures, would have been difficult to fully develop through coursework alone,” he says.

Fourth-year Accounting student Jordyn Nesbit gained valuable professional insights through her co-op experience.

Singh says participating in co-op has significantly increased his confidence, particularly as an international student navigating professional environments in Canada and helped him become more aware of his strengths.

“Co-op has been one of the most valuable parts of my university experience so far,” he says. “It allowed me to bridge the gap between theory and practice while building meaningful professional connections.”

Fourth-year Accounting student Jordyn Nesbit was able to apply what she learned in the classroom to her work at Steinbachs and Chapelle, a public accounting firm in Niagara Falls.

Beyond hands-on accounting skills, the experience taught her valuable lessons about asking for help, adapting to change and working through problems.

“Co-op has given me the confidence to approach situations with a different, more positive mindset,” she says. “Instead of asking myself ‘can I do this?’ I ask myself ‘how will I figure this out?’”

Nesbit, who transferred to Brock from McMaster University’s Engineering program, says the support she’s received from her CCEE Student Talent Coach has been “invaluable” as she pursues her goal of working in accounting and earning a CPA designation in the future.

Working at Steinbachs and Chapelle allowed Nesbit  to expand her professional network and learn more about the field from her supervisor, gaining insight into career paths she hadn’t considered before.

“I walked in nervous and unsure and walked out knowing exactly what I am capable of and what I want my future to look like,” she says.

Questions about co-ops and the Year 1 Transfer process can be sent to Anderson at [email protected]