Program:   Management Information Systems Co-op

Employer: IBM

Lakehead University Co-operative Education Student Rob Cella has worked for IBM Canada since May 1998 but only met his employer face-to-face this fall.

Cella, a fourth year Honours Bachelor of Commerce Management Systems Co-op Student in Thunder Bay, Ontario, was successful in acquiring a work term placement with IBM Canada, and soon after starting his work developing web sites, was offered a consecutive 12 month internship. What is unique for Cella and IBM Canada is that this is the first ever Cyber Co-op Student work term.

"To be given the opportunity to do a remote Co-op placement with a reputable and leading edge company such as IBM Canada is truly amazing," said Cella. "Without today's technological advancements, and IBM Canada's willingness to utilize this technology, I would never have had the opportunity to participate in such a valuable work experience."

Cella was injured in a high school football accident in 1991, leaving him quadriplegic and confined to a wheelchair. However, Cella goes on to explain that, "today's technology virtually eliminates all barriers whether they be physical, geographical, or other, to allow global collaboration in the business workplace. It allows any individual the ability to work for a company that could be based in a different city, province, or even country, without having to leave their current residence. This was important for me because I had certain physical barriers, and personal obligations, that prohibited me from leaving Thunder Bay to do a Co-op work term."

"We have staff around the world," said Terry Whittam, Manager of Human Resources Technology & Employment for IBM. "Lakehead University is just another plane ride away. Once we found out about Rob's capabilities and technological skills, it was an easy move to feed work to Rob here at the University." Cella uses Lakehead University office space for his work, and IBM Canada provides the hardware and software that allows him to do his systems work.

"The Co-op program is helping me get in the door to help me change the world through a career in Management Systems," says Cella. "Through a simple Internet connection, via a modem, any individual has the ability to work in collaboration with others that could be thousands of miles away. Even though electronic commerce is still in its relative infancy, it has truly come of age. It's exciting to be part of such a rapidly growing industry."

IBM Canada recruited a number of Lakehead University Co-op and Internship Students in the last 12 months, as well as a number of graduates from both the regular and Co-op programs in Management Systems, Computer Science and other disciplines such as Marketing. In fact, close to 50% of the Computer Science graduating class went to IBM Canada this past spring for full-time employment . IBM Canada and its wholly-owned subsidiaries employ over 15,000 full-time people across the country, including over 2,600 in manufacturing and development.

For further information regarding Lakehead University Co-operative Education Programs (in Computer Science, Economics, Finance, Forestry, Human Resources, Management Systems, Marketing, Math & Statistics and Physics) or to submit other testimonials, please visit http://jobs.lakeheadu.ca.

The HR Professional Magazine - February/March 2001 Edition has a two page article on this story. Please select the following pages for the scanned article: Page 42 and Page 45.