Connor Guillet (educational psychology)
After completing his Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan’s Saskatchewan Urban Native Teachers Education Program, Connor Guillet enrolled in UVic’s Master’s in Educational Psychology. Recently, a co-op work term as an education intern at the University of Central Asia took Connor to Kyrgyzstan, where he put his education into practice.
Putting knowledge into practice
“At work, I leaned heavily on my educational background, using my understanding of learning theories when redesigning the online career preparedness course and educational material, and when engaging with students,” says Connor.
“My work term provided a practical application of the theories and methodologies I’ve studied in my program. Designing the course and assisting students, I saw firsthand how educational theories play out in real-world settings.”
Throughout the work term, Connor tackled major projects like redesigning an online career preparedness course, providing career counselling to students, developing career support material and supporting the creation of a new career support section on the University of Central Asia’s website, developing skills in student engagement and instructional design.
Travelling in Kyrgyzstan
Beyond the workplace, travelling to Kyrgyzstan was a transformative experience for Connor, who spent time exploring the country through hiking trips and horseback tours.
WACE Global Challenge
Connor also had the opportunity to participate in the WACE Global Challenge, a three-week program that allows teams of diverse students to assist organisations to advance initiatives aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
He was especially excited to work alongside team members from the University of Central Asia, among other parts of the world.
“My supervisors at the University of Central Asia were very supportive and worked closely with me in getting settled in Kyrgyzstan. They assisted me in navigating cultural norms, travelling, and anything else I needed for a successful work term. For this, I am very grateful!” he says.
Benefits of an international work term
After his experience in Kyrgyzstan, Connor encourages fellow students to try international co-op and apply their academic learning in a new cultural context.
As the first student to work as an educational intern at the University of Central Asia, he hopes that his experience opens the door for future UVic students to visit Kyrgyzstan on co-op work terms, exchanges, or study abroad experiences. On his travels throughout the region, he explored activities that could be incorporated into potential future international experiences.
“I was excited to gain experience within a country and cultural setting that I knew very little about. What I loved about my work term was that the learning never stopped at the office,” says Connor. While living in Kyrgyzstan, he spent time beginning to learn Kyrgyz and Russian languages and reading Cyrillic, and learning about the region’s history from nomadic traditions and culture to the Silk Road to Soviet history.
“While professional development was a major focus, getting to know the country, culture, and people was very important to me.”