Fueling Co-op & Careers

Irving Oil has been a valued employer partner of WIL Co-op for over 20 years. Since the fall of 2004 the energy company, based in Saint John, NB, has hired more than 350 of our students, averaging 17 new hires each year across various roles within the organization.

We interviewed three Irving Oil team members to learn about the organization’s WIL Co-op journey.

Julie Cook, Student Recruitment Manager

Dalhousie students jump in with both feet and quickly become part of the team. They are smart and capable; they are also warm, friendly and easy to work with. They have a real eagerness to be involved.

“We have a proud history of welcoming co-op students from Dalhousie,” says Julie Cook. “Students have brought their energy, ideas, curiosity and willingness to learn across a wide range of roles.”

She says Irving Oil's home office in Saint John, NB, is not only a great place to learn, but also to make meaningful connections.

“It's a welcoming community with a great culture that helps students build lasting relationships.”  

Irving Oil collaborates with students to learn what they want from their experience. This not only helps shape and evolve their internal program but also provides students with the confidence to lead their learning path.

Numerous professional development opportunities are available, including courses, networking events and the chance to connect with leadership for career advice. 

“Students also participate in team-building activities, mentorship opportunities and innovative events like hackathons where they collaborate on creative ideas and solutions,” says Julie.

Julie outlined the importance of making students feel welcomed and part of the team. Focusing on inclusion and meaningful work, and making students feel part of something bigger continues to be the cornerstone of Irving Oil's co-op program.

“From day one, we want them to know they are doing real work,” she says.

John Zed, Area Technical Manager

John Zed has directly supervised 14 students and was previously a co-op student himself. He reminisces about the camaraderie amongst the other co-op students, his first site visit to the refinery and the impact co-op had on his professional development journey. 

The co-op program had a huge influence on my career. It was an incredible opportunity to acquire industry experience and gain exposure to the company's strong safety culture. I was able to establish connections with working professionals and further develop my technical skills. I was thankful that this co-op experience partly attributed to my full-time employment with Irving Oil.”

Hannah Nickerson, Process Engineer

Hannah Nickerson says that her co-op experience was invaluable as she built her career in engineering. Now a full-time employee, she has mentored 12 students during her time with Irving Oil. 

“I want students to feel that they have grown in their proficiency as future engineers over the work term,” she says. "You must be able to communicate rationales, risks and potential solutions to others who may have different backgrounds and training." 

Hannah says throughout her students' time at Irving Oil, and every day, she instills the importance of our company's strong safety culture, which is founded on open communications, operational discipline and understanding data to proactively mitigate risk. 

Now that I'm a mentor, I do my best to help set up other students for success. I've been fortunate enough to observe many students’ professional growth over their work terms, and it's always a pleasure to see how far they come.

Investing in the Future

Irving Oil’s support of the WIL Co-op program has made a lasting impact on students, the broader community and the industry, with contributions that continue long after work terms conclude. 

“We have an amazing graduate program that several of our former co-op students have joined,” says Julie. “It's a great opportunity that includes three unique rotations, allowing them to explore different areas of the business, build their skills and continue growing their careers with us.”