For Salma Aly, who graduates this June with a degree in software engineering, Co-op provided a range of perspectives on her chosen industry through two very different internships with Microsoft — in Vancouver, BC and Redmond, Washington.
At her first Microsoft internship, Aly developed a holographic, mixed-reality application for neuro-anatomy students to help them better envision the brain. In the second, she was introduced to machine learning.
“It was a great experience for me, which touched on things I never learned in school,” says Aly.
“I got to experience this whole new world while also observing how a very established software company develops their programming cycle.”
The future looks bold
Martel promised massive growth for Co-op — where enrolment increased by 24 per cent this past year — before highlighting the Institute’s newest program: the Accelerated Career Experience (ACE), a 16-month internship created in collaboration with Bombardier.
“We’re going to start moving with all sorts of new programs,” he said.
“We’re going to expand ACE by bringing other employers into the fold and look into research programs for masters’ students. It’s time to reinvent the wheel and transition to be better adapted to this ever-changing world.”