[samantha__]

Social Science Faculty’s EE Program - An Interview With Kyle Park

By SAMANTHA ASARE, MACINSIDERS

As promised in our previous article on Experimental Education, we have an interview with Kyle Park, a McMaster Political Science student who has gone through the Social Science Faculty’s EE program and is currently working as a Government Relations Associate at Research in Motion (RIM). For those of you who don’t know, Research in Motion is a Canadian wireless device company, headquartered in Waterloo, best known for their BlackBerry handheld device. Through this interview, you will learn about how the process went for Kyle, the types of activities he does at his job and any advice he has for all of you.

How did you start the journey to your current internship? (E.g. did you take Soc Sci 2EL0? Did you speak to counselors?)

I did not take Soc Sci 2EL0; however, I would highly recommend junior level social science students to enroll—I would now if I was in first year again. I began my journey towards my internship with Research In Motion after seeing the amazing opportunities the DeGroote School of Business Co-op Program granted my friend who interned with RIM a few years ago. I then applied online and set up a meeting with Christina Foley from the Social Science Experimental Education office.

How was the application process? When did you apply? When do you suggest people start looking for positions?

The application process is lengthily at the beginning. After submitting my initial application in early January (some people would consider this a ‘late’ submission) it was over a month before I heard from RIM. However, after the initial contact with the company about an interview it was only a couple of weeks before I found out that I received the internship.

I would recommend students hoping to start a co-op or internship in May begin looking for positions in the middle of first semester. After speaking with recruiters here at RIM, I now know that many jobs are posted 6 or more months in advance of the start date and it always looks good to have your application in right away.

How many companies do you suggest people go with? Are certain types of companies just easier to get a hold of/have an interview with? (E.g. Government vs. a private company)

I personally think that you should select one or two companies that you find appealing and that interest you. I wouldn’t recommend applying to a huge number of companies as you may A) end up working somewhere that you do not enjoy or are not passionate about; or B) you may put yourself in a situation where you are forced to ‘burn a bridge’ if selected for multiple positions.

Good example: Before applying to RIM I applied for a position with the City of Hamilton doing some policy work. I was offered an interview where I told them I was very interested in the position and that I would take the position if selected. I later had to back out of that job when I was offered a position at RIM—I was comfortable making that decision as I knew how great of an opportunity it was for me with RIM and how much it would positively affect my future. That being said, if I was not enjoying things at RIM I certainly could not expect to work with the City of Hamilton in the near future.

For the question of what companies are easier to “get a hold of”; I would have to say that you want to look for a company that truly recognizes the value of student co-ops/interns. You want a company who lists many student opportunities and have a strong track record of working with students. RIM is particularly renowned for its co-op program and has an awesome website with all their job-posting and FAQ’s for students considering a co-op/internship (http://www.rim.com/careers/students/index.shtml). It also lists when RIM will be present on your campus so you can attend an info session and ask questions directly to a recruiter.

What company did you end up going with? Why did you apply with them

I am currently on a 16 month internship with Research In Motion (BlackBerry) as a Government Relations Associate. I applied to them as I have had several friends complete co-ops/internships with them and all have enjoyed it thoroughly (9 of 10 are now working for them full-time as new grads, the other one was offered a position but chose to pursue other opportunities). Other benefits of RIM include the engaging atmosphere they offer students—1 of 10 employees at RIM are students (a ratio that has existed since the company’s conception in 1984), a scholarship program they provide students who are offered post-grad positions at the end of their co-op term, and the excellent opportunity for future employment that RIM offers their students.

What did you duties at the company include?

My various responsibilities at RIM include:

• Monitoring government legislation and policy that significantly impact RIM.
• Recommending lobbying responses to be executed by Government Relations team, executives, industry associations and managed consultants to ensure RIM has strong market access.
• Develop and implement internal/external company policy in the fields of economics, supply chain, environment, and corporate/social responsibility.

How long was the internship for?
16 Months

What kind of accommodations did you stay in?

I took out a 1-year lease at a loft on the border of Kitchener/Waterloo, however, RIM works with the University of Waterloo and Laurier to help Co-ops find close accommodations at residence type suites near the RIM campus.

Did you attend any special events through the internship?](Conferences, etc.)

The amount of travel/events that a person attends while at RIM depends greatly on the field they are in (ie. A friend of mine in Sales traveled 4 of 5 weeks during their internship; a friend in Beta Development did not travel at all). My team is especially outward facing given the nature of our work therefore I have had the opportunity to attend some awesome events including:

• Policy sessions in Washington DC and Ottawa.
• Awards ceremonies and galas throughout Canada (Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, etc.)
• Dinners with Ministers and other politicians including the Premier of Ontario and the Prime Minister.

How have you applied what you have learned at McMaster in your internship?

I have applied so much of what I have learned at McMaster to the work I do here at RIM. The skills that I utilize the most here at RIM are obviously reading and writing but more specifically the ability to think critically and analyze content. I am also very excited to take my experiences at RIM and in turn bring a lot back to the class room when I return to McMaster to finish my degree.


A special thank you to Kyle Park for helping us out with this article! I would like to remind everyone that even though Kyle did not complete Soc Sci 2EL0, as of right now, it is mandatory for students who want to complete an internship through the EE office to take this course.

Hopefully all of our MacInsiders members will find this interview both intriguing and informative, no matter what discipline you’re in. If you know of a person who has completed an internship or co-op through the Social Science’s EE office or another faculty, please let them email me at [email protected], as we would love to do more interviews like this!