Fleming College

Field placement worked out pretty well for Business Administration – Human Resources Management student Taylor Rea. Thanks to her 70-hour program placement at Nefab Inc. in Peterborough, Ont., Taylor secured summer employment.

“Placement was an amazing experience for me,” said the third-year Fleming College student. “I learned lots about my field, I met tons of connections, I got a deeper insight into what I am doing at school by putting it into action.”

Best of all, Taylor also got employed as an HR Assistant. She will spend the summer working on projects for different departments at Nefab Inc., gaining tons of real world experience in her field.

“I think I turned this into a job by being very reliable and punctual. I showed my managers that I wanted to learn and I was always willing to try something new,” she said. “I always paid attention to what I was being told to do, asked for clarification, as well as continually asked to be exposed to new things that related to my field. I think asking questions is very important, it shows that you care and take pride in your work, as well as you want to learn.”

In her summer position, Taylor helps recruit new employees, assists with payroll, creates and updates new policies, switches over benefits packages, answers phones and files.

“This Fleming education did help,” said Taylor, adding that the most applicable skills to her role are accounting, recruitment, management principles, payroll, occupational health and safety, and marketing.

“My manager is also a Fleming HR graduate, and has helped me with her own personal advice and experiences,” she said.

Taylor decided to take the Business Administration – Human Resources Management program at Fleming College because of her interest in business. After reading about the HR program on the College website, it seemed like a great fit.

“My experience so far has been great,” said Taylor. “At Fleming you don’t feel like a number, the teachers take the time and care about how you are doing with your studies.”

Taylor plans on doing her next field placement at Nefab Inc. because she enjoys the environment.

“I think just being appreciated and having someone put their confidence in you to get the job done is one of the best things so far,” she said. “It shows that the hard work you put in all year is finally starting to pay off.”

Her advice to students applying for placement is to apply everywhere and do your best.

“Don’t be shy to go and talk to people. Although it’s intimidating, it goes a long way,” Taylor said. “Always be willing to learn and try new things. Don’t shy away from something because it’s unfamiliar, face it head-on. Be confident and ask questions!”