Reflecting on the Co‑op experience with Computer Science student, Brian Yip

                                                        Brian Yip, Computer Science Co-op student, Class of 2017 

After taking a Java course in high school, Brian Yip quickly discovered the career direction that he wanted to pursue. He realized that learning how to write code would open many doors for him professionally and expose him to a range of possibilities. 

"Software engineering seemed exciting, and I thought that if I could learn to write software, I'd have the skills to pursue anything in the industry."

The coding skills Brian gained from the Java course allowed him to complete a freelance project for his father which encouraged him to pursue computer science as a profession. He enrolled in Dalhousie's Bachelor of Computer Science program and decided to complete the co-operative education option along with the degree. 

Since the early days of making the decision to attend Dalhousie and opt into the Co-op stream, Brian has completed three work terms and credits each one for providing him with opportunities to learn and grow.

It was during his first work term at VidSnippets in Halifax where Brian says he learned a lot about collaboration and working with a team.

 "I was lucky to work with such a supportive team. They taught me practical skills that I could apply to the projects I was working on." He shared. "The skills I learned set me up for success and helped me secure my next work term."

For his second work term, Brian found himself working with NewNet Communication Technologies where he benefitted from the guidance of a knowledgeable mentor. "I had an exceptional mentor at NewNet," shared Brian, "he leant me his time and taught me so much about software engineering." 

"It was inspiring working with such experienced people that are excellent at what they do. The learning opportunity was tremendous, by the time I left NewNet I felt confident that I had the skills to develop any software."

Brian's third and final work term was with T4G where developing strong leadership skills was the reoccurring theme of the work term. " I interacted with people on a business level and developed products for clients that we delivered on a real timeline. It was a major learning experience for me."

It was through that experience that Brian learned how to explain project outcomes to customers that didn't have a technical background. Which he discovered was another challenging but important skill to learn.

With the completion of his degree in May 2017, Brian feels that his co-op journey has prepared him well for what's next. Each work term experience has led to a progression of evolving skills and knowledge.

Currently in the season of applying for jobs, Brian’s search has gotten off to a good start. A recruiter from Google connected with him through LinkedIn and the company flew him to the head office in Mountain View California for an interview.

"The interview with Google was very exciting," says Brian "I'll see what happens but in the meantime, I'll keep applying for positions locally and elsewhere."

Looking back over his co-op journey and the skills and experience he's gained, Brian says he's ready to get started building his career. "One of the most beneficial beliefs I've learned through co-op is that having an