My first day at work was an absolute blast. We started the morning at the Pace Group office with introductions. I met my three teammates that I will be working and travelling with for the next few months. Richard has a strong background in truck driving and automotive repairs, which is an asset because a majority of our tour will involve driving a Sprinter van or 3-tonne truck. If we ever run into any problems with the vehicles, he has shown confidence in being able to handle these types of situations. Adam has had a great deal of experience in events, and puts together concerts like Tall Tree and Rifflandia. His knowledge on events and production will be helpful when we setup the exhibit displays for the job fair. Theo is also a Communication co-op student at Simon Fraser University. I actually had a class with her last semester and recognized her because we were even in the same tutorial. Her work experience demonstrates that she has developed great customer service skills and will be a friendly representative at the fairs. I think that Pace Group did a great job selecting the team because we all have our different skills to contribute.

One of the requirements for the job is a class 5 license. I unfortunately did not have mine at the time I got hired, so I spent the remainder of last week and beginning of this week taking driving lessons. Some people normally wait two or three months to find the next available road test, but I was fortunate to find an early exam date on such short notice. Yesterday, I actually had my driving test and finally got my class 5 license. We need this in order to drive the 3-tonne truck that will be carrying our exhibit displays. The next step is learning how to operate a large vehicle. In the afternoon, we drove out to Coquitlam for our 3-tonne truck driving lessons at Valley Driving School. Yep, things have been moving pretty fast these couple of days and I’ve been super busy!

Today’s driving experience was quite interesting because I had just gotten into the good habit of constantly doing my shoulder checks, but am now realizing it is not important for driving trucks. In the times that I did do a shoulder check, I caught a glimpse of the box attached to the truck. I have to develop a new habit of checking my side mirrors instead. Despite this learning curve, I enjoyed learning how to drive a truck because ever since I was eight years old, my dream car has always been a Hummer. I liked the fact that with big cars, you get a better view of the road and driving it makes you feel like you’re unstoppable. A car can crash into your truck, but you would not be harmed at all. Driving the 3-tonne truck was the highlight of my day!

My first day of work is in two days, and I would just like to share my knowledge on the company that I will be working with for the next few months. Pace Group Communications Inc. has been helping clients tell their story for almost 20 years. Their “creative, concise, and connected” communications gets the story out and the community involved. This greatly appealed to me because I enjoy interacting with a diverse group of people as a Residence Orientation Leader on campus and as an Event Ambassador for Volunteer Richmond. Both share a common goal of building a stronger sense of community. Pace Group is responsible for organizing the annual Santa Clause Parade, which attract people from all parts of the Lower Mainland. They truly do get the community involved because I can admit to attending the parade and seeing many of the streets in downtown packed with spectators. The company interacts with stakeholders, the government and media to produce some of their other notable projects, which include the Gastown Bike Tour, Vancouver Aquarium Expansion, the revitalization of BC Place and the Canada Line Opening. After speaking with Jordan, Kristina, and Jocelyn at my interview, I learned that their company also organized the Robson Square festivities during the 2010 Winter Olympics. I remember skating at Robson Square during the Olympics and am fascinated that after attending such events, I am fortunate enough to work with Pace Group on the BC Jobs Plan project that will again get the community and province involved.

There is always so much pressure put on a new year because it means leaving your bad habits and experiences behind and working on becoming a better person. Some make new years resolutions to go to the gym more often, eat healthier, and a common one for students, to stop procrastinating. In the past I have tried making a new years resolution, but most people can agree that these new goals and good habits will last a month at most, then we revert back to our old self. The fact is you can’t force yourself to change. It is something that will happen naturally, over time and because of experiences.  

I’m taking a semester off school and instead doing a co-op term
This year, I decided not to make a big deal of the new year and I guess this worked out for me. This week was the first week of school, a time when classes are only an hour long because it is the introductory class for the course. For most people, this is a great transition after relaxing during the Winter break. For me, the week went differently. On the first day of school and after my very first class of the year, I received a phone call from one of my co-op coordinators saying that Pace Group Communications Inc. has invited me for an interview the following day. I was thrilled by the news and was caught off guard because I wasn’t expecting to get a job this semester. The next day was a Tuesday, and it was hectic because I went for the interview in between two of my classes. I felt nervous because this was my first time applying for a communication-related job and wasn’t sure how the interview went. The day after my interview, I received a call a few minutes after I had woken up. It was good news. Within the first three days of school, I found out that I would be doing my first work term!

I was hired by Pace Group to be a BC Jobs Plan Tour Staff and host job fairs across 23 different communities in the province. This is a great opportunity because travelling around British Columbia is something that I hardly consider when planning a vacation. Travelling my own province is like travelling my own city; I know that I can do it any time because it is in my back yard. I am excited to get a chance to see why BC is called the “Best Place on Earth.” Working at a job fair is also a great learning experience because it will help me develop the right skills and use the right resources for my future job searches. This job seems like it will be a great fit for me because I can use my customer service and interpersonal communication skills to help job seekers at the fair, but I can also learn more about the public relations industry by networking with Jordan Humphries and Kristina Wenner, who were the ones that hired me for this position.

Writing is a great exercise that helps me reflect on situations. No, my blog is not part of my new years resolution. I have created this blog to document my experiences on my first co-op work term. This will be something I can look back on after my work term and realize what I have learned and what skills I have developed over a few month’s time.

Another change in my life: I’m moving out of residence
I am a bit overwhelmed by this eventful week because it means there will be some changes in my life. I recently moved back on residence after spending the winter holidays with my family, but my next step is packing up and moving out again. I live on residence because of the strong sense of community that exists within a large commuter campus. I figured that moving out is the best option since my job does involve traveling for six weeks. Home is only an hour away from the Pace Group office, and it would save me the cost of paying rent for a room that I will not be sleeping in for the remainder of the semester. As you can see, this new year has changed my life. I will be starting a new job, moving out of residence, and travelling for two months without my friends or family. I am excited. 2013 is looking pretty good for me! Despite not setting any new years resolutions, I guess I did get a fresh start in this new year.