Daniela Ana Florea

Meet Daniela Ana Florea:

About Daniela

Daniela Ana Florea is a University of Guelph co-op student in BComm (MEF), who is graduating this year. Daniela has gained experience through great co-op work terms that allowed her to diversify her resume, build her skills, and even secure a job for after graduation before she even finished school. Daniela shares more about her co-op work terms, biggest takeaways from co-op, favourite projects she has worked on, and how she has balanced co-op, academics, and personal life throughout her degree.

Can you tell us about your co-op work term(s)? What was your most recent work term?

“During my first two co-op work terms, I worked at a marketing solutions company called Kenna. My most recent work term was at Fidelity Investments Canada, where I worked in two different departments: (1) Product Research and (2) Fund Treasury.” 

What did you do in this work term?

“On the Product Research team, I supported Investment Analysts in conducting research and analyzing trends in financial markets, while producing quantitative analysis on the performance of Fidelity funds versus competitors. On the Fund Treasury team, I was primarily responsible for reviewing Annual and Semi-Annual Financial Statements for mutual funds to ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines.”

What has been your biggest takeaway from co-op? 

“My biggest takeaway from co-op relates to the importance of being able to work in a team. Throughout all my work terms, I had to opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of individuals, with different backgrounds and expertise. This allowed me to gain an appreciation for understanding different perspectives in the workplace and working with others to achieve a common goal.”

What has been the most interesting project you've worked on so far during co-op?

“The Product Research team at Fidelity provided me with the opportunity to work alongside a fellow co-op student (who also goes to Guelph!) to research an emerging U.S. trading platform called Robinhood, as well as its impacts on the finance industry. At the end of our work term, my partner and I had the opportunity to present our findings to the entire executive team at Fidelity.”

Would you recommend co-op to other students? Why or why not? 

“I would highly recommend other students to join the co-op program! It is a great opportunity to apply the knowledge you're gaining in the classroom and to meet new people. Most importantly, for me, co-op enabled me to determine whether the career path I've selected is indeed what I want to do and even provided me with a job post-graduation."

How do you balance co-op with school and personal life? 

“It is always important to remember that while hard work will be noticed and appreciated by your employers, they do not expect you to deal with more than you can take on. Always make a schedule for yourself where you devote time specifically for school and personal care after work is done for the day.”

Is there anything else you'd like to add? 

“Co-op has been my most valuable experience throughout my time at the University. I am grateful for all the support provided by my co-op coordinator and that I've had the opportunity to represent the University of Guelph at various employers.”