Future Ready
Co operative Education provides students with the opportunity to explore the possibilities in a continuously changing world of work; enables them to bridge their academic and workplace knowledge; and challenges them to learn, grow, and contribute wherever they go.
Co op is one of the best things I’ve ever done; I’ve loved my time at Cable 14 and all the people I’ve met. Not to mention having connections like that is a great thing to have for the future.
Grade 12 student Iris Mulder was unsure what kind of co op placement she was interested in. But the idea of working at Cable 14 intrigued her. After some resume preparations, a meeting, and then an interview with the Community Programming Network co-op coordinator, Iris was started on a pathway to discovering her passion–though she didn’t know that at the time.
Iris enjoyed all the hands-on learning at her co op placement at Cable 14. She had the opportunity to train with industry-standard equipment and technology. Now she has confidence in using an audio board, video switcher, and camera control unit as well as XPression Real Time Motion Graphics. But most importantly, Iris has found a potential career path.
The placement was not what I had expected. On my first day, I was already helping during the filming of one of our shows!”
Iris continued, “This experience opened my eyes to a new career choice. I never expected to love production as much as I do… After high school, I want to continue in this field, and I would love to go to college for television production. I know that I will be returning to volunteer at Cable14 as soon as possible.”
The placement worked well for Cable 14, too.
Community Engagement Coordinator, Amanda Groulx, shared that “Iris brought terrific energy, enthusiasm, and flexibility to her role at Cable 14. She’s learned a wide variety of production roles, making her a valued member of our studio crew. We would love to take on more students like Iris in the future.”
Cable 14 and community TV stations across Ontario have been working with High School Co op Students for many years. They provide opportunities for students who are looking for experience in TV to work on real broadcast productions. This work gives them exposure to how things are done in a real-world environment and allows them to try a variety of roles.
Amanda adds that “students who co op with Cable 14 get access to our staff and their knowledge of the industry so that they can ask questions and be more aware of the environment they’d be entering if they choose TV. Students learn how to act and govern their time in a creative environment, which is much less structured than a traditional office. It exposes them to many behind the scenes opportunities they may not have considered in the past, which can help them decide which post-secondary
programs may interest them.”
Co op partners benefit from student placements. Amanda notes “because of the co op students and volunteers who spend their time on our productions, Cable 14 has the human resources do more productions and provide more local coverage for Hamiltonians.”
Adrianne Sprogis, Communications Specialist
Hamilton District Christian High