Meet Gurkiran Kaur Sethi:

About Gurkiran

Gurkiran Kaur Sethi is a Bachelor of Arts Honours student studying Psychology at U of G. In her first co-op work term, she worked at the Experiential Learning Hub as the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Assistant, helping the Employment Engagement Specialist with various projects to benefit both students and employers that the University of Guelph works with. Gurkiran shares how her first work term compared to her expectations, the impact of her work, things she learned, and shares her thoughts on co-op and experiential learning.

What was your most recent co-op work term? 

“I was the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Assistant at the Experiential Learning Hub (EL Hub).”

Was this your first co-op term? If yes, how did it compare to your expectations? If no, where else have you worked?

“W22 was my first co-op work term. Since I didn't have any professional work experience in Canada, it was a lot different than my expectations. The EL Hub was a very fun and exciting workplace. I had a chance to work with different people with various departments and learn something new every day.” 

What do you think the impact of your work was? 

“I believe my work has helped make the university & the resources more accessible and inclusive, at least to an end that was achievable in a period of 4 months.”

What was your biggest takeaway from this work term? 

“My biggest takeaway is that sky is the limit. We have to find the courage to keep moving to achieve our dreams from within & once we have that, nothing can stand in our way.”

What's your advice to anyone considering co-op? 

“Co-op experience is something very different and important. It is not easy and can be extremely challenging at times, but all of it is worth it for the exposure we gain.”

Where do you hope your co-op journey will take you?

“I hope all of my co-op work terms are as amazing as my first one. Also, that all of the networking will help secure my dream job!” 

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

“Co-op isn't the only experiential learning provided by the university. There are a lot of other programs. You just have to reach out to @ExpGuelph and explore the options available.”