Hailey Gascoigne (computer engineering)
Hailey Gascoigne, a fourth-year computer engineering student, recently completed an international co-op work term as a Research Intern for Smart Home Technologies at Thomas More University College Geel, located in Belgium.
“I chose this because I have always really enjoyed math and science and I wanted to be in a program where I could be a part of developing and testing new technologies.”
Developing smart home technology
Hailey’s role entailed working on the research and development of smart home technologies, specifically with two emerging concepts in the field: Matter Standard and Thread Protocol.
“This included the hardware setup with a Thread-enabled microcontroller and sensors, as well as the software, which primarily consisted of C and C++ in conjunction with the Apple Home App which was used as the front end of the project. I was working at a university in their electronics department. This was an individual project, and I was the only co-op student, but I did have the assistance of all the professors in the department whenever I needed help or advice.”
Adjusting to a new culture
Being in a new country allowed Hailey to get out of her comfort zone and experience new things during her work term.
“The food in Belgium was definitely a highlight. They are famous for their waffles, chocolate, and fries, and I was able to try all three during my time here. Belgian people are very proud of the legacy these foods have worldwide, and everyone was always more than willing to make suggestions for the best ways to try different Belgian foods.
My co-op employers allowed me some home office days which provided me with the opportunity to travel around Europe for some of my work term. With this flexibility, I was able to travel to so many bucket list places in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.”
The biggest hurdle Hailey faced during her work term was dealing with the language barrier and keeping up with the time difference with Victoria. However, over time, she fell into a rhythm with talking to people from home, and meeting new people in Belgium helped her overcome this issue.
Developing flexibility and resilience
Hailey’s biggest takeaway from her work term was learning the skill of adaptability.
“My three months living in Belgium exceeded every expectation I had, but it wasn’t always in the way I expected. Flexibility and the ability to adapt to change are extremely important to success during an international work term."
There are so many challenges with living and working in another country, from the language barrier to cultural differences, and being able to adapt to new environments and situations is crucial to succeed while abroad. Adaptability and resilience are qualities that will continue to be important in my personal and professional life.”