WIL Success Spotlight

FAST Student Recipient of Ignite Glow Scholarship

Afshan Ali
Computer Systems Technician Co-op program
Recipient of IGNITE GLOW Scholarship

Congratulations to Afshan Ali, Computer Systems Technician Co-op student who is the recipient of the IGNITE GLOW Scholarship. Created in 2021-22, the scholarship was created with the goal to Give Learners Opportunities to Work. This annual scholarship recognizes 13 students who participate in work-integrated learning opportunities (co-op, internships, etc.) which contribute to community development and outreach.

Tell us about yourself and why you chose your program of study?

My name is Afshan Ali and I came to Canada in Fall 2021. So far, it’s been a really nice experience being here, meeting new people and embracing a new culture. I am enrolled in the Computer Systems Technician (Co-op) program and have appeared on the Dean’s List for the last 3 semesters. Winter 2023 gave a new pathway/opportunity to my career as I found a co-op job.

There are a couple of reasons behind choosing this program. The very first reason is my keen interest in continuously evolving technology therefore, I want to pursue a career in the IT industry. It’s a fun-loving field for me as it gives me a broad view of how different networks are connected to ensure accurate communication, file sharing, etc. Another wonderful reason is that this program typically provide hands-on training in computer hardware and software. Such learning is preferred by me as it allows me to gain practical experience and enhance my skills. In these digital literacy days there is a high demand for skilled technicians who can install, maintain and troubleshoot computer systems. All the essential skills and training to work in this field is covered by the courses in this program and finally, this program can provide a pathway for career advancement and can offer a good job.

What are your future aspirations and how has your WIL experience prepared you for the next steps on your journey?

I did my co-op placement with Humber’s IT department and was located at the International Graduate School (IGS). As an End Point Technician, I got involved in a range of activities. I assisted users with connecting to Wi-fi, supported MAC, Windows, Linux and Android devices, performed daily classroom checks and AV maintenance, and looked after inventory, equipment disinfecting, digital signage and tickets.

Work-Integrated Learning gave me an opportunity to experience a real-life industry environment and learning teamwork, time management and client requirements. My future aspirations are to gain expertise in Network-Engineering. There are so many emerging technologies these days such as 5G, edge computing, and software-defined networking, cloud, etc. Mastering all these new technologies helps in career advancement.

As an international student building up my career and doing co-op simultaneously with studies has enabled me to apply the skills and knowledge in an actual work environment to solve real world problems, adapt to the requirements of the workplace, collaborate with others, and expand my awareness of the realities of my chosen field.