Co-op-erating with Microsoft
September often finds newly graduated students at a loss. Final exams and convocation are over, so graduates may well be asking “What’s next?” as they ponder the future, armed with their freshly minted Concordia degree.
For three graduates from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science (ENCS), there is no question — they have landed jobs with Microsoft in Seattle.
Justin Horst, Vijeta Patel and Tristan St-Cyr put themselves on the right track for great careers early on when they applied to participate in Concordia’s innovative Institute for Co-operative Education.
This work-study program is available to all ENCS students who have high grades and a strong work ethic. With a passion for learning reflected in their marks, Horst, Patel and St-Cyr more than fit the bill. By alternating on-the-job experience with traditional studies in the classroom, the three graduated this June with a winning combination of theoretical reasoning skills and practical know-how.
For Microsoft, a global leader in personal and business software, the fact that the three arrived with some serious on-the-job training already under their belts is a definite boon. The company has such a strong belief in preparing university students for work in the real world that they established a widely regarded internship program.
Heidi Dowling, University and Recruiting Staff Consultant at Microsoft, says that the “Microsoft internship program is a fantastic way for technical students to gain exposure to the software development process. Interns have real jobs with real responsibilities. Each intern is assigned to a group and given substantial projects that are related to the work under way at Microsoft. The experience of building skills and knowledge for a future career is very valuable for students.”
Through the Co-op program, St-Cyr landed one of the coveted internships when he was in his third year. “It was a great opportunity,” he recalls. “I was there for three months with hundreds of other interns from across North America. I really got a feel for what the company is like, what kind of people work for Microsoft, and what their expectations are.”
After graduating from Concordia in June with a bachelor’s in software engineering, St-Cyr says he felt well-prepared to return to Microsoft, where he is now working as a software development engineer for the data modelling group.
Patel and Horst were both newcomers to the company when they applied for jobs. Horst’s interest was piqued during a career fair held at Concordia last fall. He did an on-site interview and was asked back for an on-site interview in Redmond, the suburb of Seattle that is home to the sprawling Microsoft campus.
Patel, who graduated in June with a bachelor’s in software engineering, started out with a phone interview before heading out west for her interview. Both recall the selection process as a challenge that was nerve-wracking and exciting. Plus they say the internships they completed through Concordia’s Co-op program gave them a competitive edge in the selection process.
Horst, who graduated with a bachelor’s in computer engineering, made the move to Microsoft in July, taking on the role of software development engineer and tester for the Windows Phone project. Horst had completed several internships at Montreal-based companies, where he relished the chance to get an insider’s look at what it is really like to work in industry. \
“Obviously you learn a lot technically on these internships,” he says, “but the real jewel is the professional experience you get. When you come back to school you can really tell who has been on internships, just by the way they work or write emails, or even coordinate meetings. You’re a 22-year-old working with 50-year-olds. They know what they’re doing and you pick up a lot. You realize that real education doesn’t come out of books — it’s by doing that you truly learn.”
Patel has a similar outlook, explaining that the internships she had with IBM in Ontario really prepared her for her future career. “When you’re in a working environment,” she explains, “you’re part of the team and you get to learn what it’s like to work on an actual product, you go through the software development life cycle with them. I found that was extremely helpful.” At Microsoft, she is a software development engineer for the Internet Explorer team.
The three are all smiles when they consider what the future will bring to them. Asked how undergraduate students can be given great career-building opportunities, they are unanimous in their answer: be part of the Co-op program!
Related Links:
• Co-op Concordia
• Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
• Department of Computer Science Software Engineering
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering