CEES Student Blog Submissions: Blog Submissions

Work-Term Blog - Wesley Fakrogha

Basic Information

My name is Wesley Fakrogha, from Lagos Nigeria. I am a Computer Science graduate from Birmingham City University, Birmingham,  UK. I am in the PGD Business Administration program at Selkirk College and will be graduating in 2021. For my Co-op, I had the opportunity to work with ARIC and Community Futures Central Kootenay.

Introduction

Community Futures Central Kootenay is located in Nelson BC, Canada.

Community Futures Central Kootenay is a non-profit community economic development organization. The company helps people in the Central Kootenay region who are either operating or are planning to start their own business.

Department and Role

My role involved developing the Kootenay Shipping website; kootenayshipping.com, which is a collaborative effort between Community Futures Central Kootenay and the Applied Research and Innovation Centre (ARIC) team, associated with Selkirk College. This project was made possible with support from CFCK and MITACS.

The Kootenay Shipping website is a platform that connects business owners and transportation partners, in order to support the movement of goods within the region (as well as in and out of the region), improve logistical and economic efficiency, and remove barriers to future small business growth and economic development.

In order to successfully develop the project, I did the following:

• Carried out research and contacted various shipping companies in the Kootenay region
• Developed the Kootenay Shipping website content with support from my supervisor and employer
• Researched suitable Website platforms and developed the wireframe and design of the website.
• Researched API’s from shipping comparison and booking websites like Secureship and Shipstation
• Researched and created effective marketing strategies for the website and developed marketing content in form of videos, images, newsletters, social media and email campaign content.
• Followed up regularly with my supervisor and employer to provide updates and receive feedback on my tasks.

I also had support from the other interns who assisted me in carrying out reviews on my work and providing constructive feedback.

Skills

My Co-op required I had both hard and soft skills to effectively work on the project.

The hard skills I required include:

• Website Development – WordPress, HTML, PHP, CSS
• Digital Marketing and SEO
• Design and Graphics – Image and Video Editing
• Computer Skills – Use of various programs and software

I also required Soft skills such as:

• Teamwork Skills
• Communication Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Presentation Skills

Throughout my co-op term, I was able to develop my problem-solving skills and ability to use critical thinking to find effective solutions to the problems I encountered while working on the project.

For instance, while developing the website, due to cost and time restrictions, I had to research and consider alternative software or processes that would enable me to create functions on the website like the ability to compare shippers, connect to the Kootenay Shipping Facebook group through an API and allow users to easily navigate through the website.

A major skill I aim to continue improving on based on my experience from my co-op is my Task management skill. By improving my task management skill, I would be able to prioritize and complete my tasks based on set timelines.

Working on the project allowed me to improve my Website Development and Marketing skills as I was able to create designs that ensured the information on the website was clear and easy to find, create futures that allowed users to get the information they required and ensure pages on the website were easy to find and navigate.

Reflection

Having the opportunity to use and develop my skills made this placement a good fit for my career goal. I aim to develop my career in Marketing and so the support and feedback received from my supervisor while working on the project allowed me to develop the necessary skills needed to gain more experience and grow in my career.

The valuable skills I gained from my classroom experience prepared me a lot for the role. I was able to use my problem solving, communication, presentation and research skills learned from the classroom to be able to effectively work on the project.

My advice for future students is to always get updates and request for feedback when working on a project. In addition, be open to taking up challenges. By doing so, you learn a lot, gain experience and it allows you to transfer and use the skills you learn when working on other tasks.

During my co-op term, I wish I had asked for and used all the resources that were available by the college. I was unaware of the library resources provided by the college, if I had made use of them, it would have made my research work much easier.

My main takeaway from this experience is it's always beneficial to have your work reviewed, get constructive feedback and strive to improve your skills.

My Selkirk experience was productive, engaging and educational.

My co-op placement allowed me to develop my skills, gain new skills and create a solution that would add value to people’s lives.

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