Being in one of the most prestigious
universities is a challenge itself. And in order to hold true to its name, the
students are expected to thrive well and passionately in their field of study
through research and internship experiences. To better equip the students with
the practicality plus giving insight into their own interests, the university
offers various rooms for its undergrads, as early as in the second year,
to get involved in programs such as Research Opportunity Program (ROP),
Professional Experience Year (PEY) Internship Program and Summer Research
Scholarship, to name a few.
Hence, the anticipation of the upcoming season
of research/internship applications can be felt looming over the members of
MASAT. Recognizing the significance of early preparation, MASAT Executive Team,
which is led by Afiq Asri, once again organized Bengkel Resume for
its members. This workshop is constructed to focus on building and polishing
resumes and is designed to be member-friendly. The major change that
the MASAT Executive Team brought to this year’s workshop is having it held in
small group discussion sessions, as compared to the previous one which was a
facilitated resume drafting sessions. A chat with Thiiban, a first-year MASAT
member, shows that this is an effective move as the participants can get a
personalized attention and guidance from the facilitators. Plus, MASAT Media
Crew offered photography service for anyone who wants their professional
profile photo taken.
The workshop was held in the Friday evening of
November 6th at room 304 Galbraith Building. Despite the palpable
busyness of the midterms month in UofT, Bengkel Resume received a bigger than
expected turnout. The workshop commenced at 6.15 pm with an introductory
presentation by Afiq Asri. This workshop also focuses on two distinct groups,
students who are interested in research and the ones who are aiming to dive
into the industry. The first part of the workshop was resume drafting and
polishing sessions. Participants were given handouts regarding resume and cover
letter writing that provide ample information and guidance for the students to
start with. These handouts can be easily accessed at UofT Career Centre or Engineering Career Centre websites.
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| The eager learners discussed strategies from the experienced facilitators over a cup of Tim Hortons |
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| Eddy Zulkifly, an industrial engineering student, is guiding Izzatee Azlee to polish her resume |
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| Some of second-year Science students listening attentively to Afiq Asri giving tips and tricks of producing an effective resume. |
After a short break, the workshop continued with a session called the Upper Year Insights. Once again, participants were free to join any of the two groups which centralized the discussions regarding
industry internships and research opportunities. This was the session that
really gave the members the chance to listen to the first-hand experiences and
challenges in the pursuit of a research and internship positions. Indeed,
experience is the best teacher and who could elucidate the upcoming challenges
better than the facilitators who have undergone it themselves. MASAT did a great job at rounding up competent facilitators.
The group of facilitators consists of upper year students who are currently
active in research and work in various fields, from Geophysics to Art History. The
stories they shared really do inspire the members to network and get involved more
around the university.
Most importantly, we want to know how this workshop
actually benefits the members, because they are our best interest. So, in
the production of this cover story, we had a chance to talk with some of the
participants and these are a few of their reflections;
"As I am planning to intern in Malaysia, this workshop is really helpful for me. The one that holds out to me the most is the tip given by Naveen in finding internships positions, which is to directly email the university or company instead of going through the websites. Be open and try to focus on experience instead of pay." – Jehan Nazri, 2nd year, Biotechnology.
“I like how the workshop is such an active learning platform. The major tip I would say is to start early. If you’re like me, a person with zero experiences in resume writing or work experience, it’s time to plan ways to write your resume effectively and figure out methods to find work experiences so that your resumes are not empty.” – Thiiban Paskaran, 1st year, Chemical Engineering.
“I recognized how one’s persistence can actually bring about opportunities. If one is truly interested and determined to take part in a project/research, go ahead to show your engagement with the subject and commitment to the right persons in all reasonable ways. More often than not it will work in your favour.” – Teoh Wei Zhen, 3rd year, Economics and Mathematics.
True to Afiq’s aspirations which are, in his
words, “giving back to MASAT community and imparting useful legacy to younger
members”, the workshop can be deemed a successful one. Best of luck to everyone
in your future endeavors!
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