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An Inside Look at Pointe-Claire’s 2023 Summer Interns
Every summer, the City of Pointe-Claire has the pleasure of hiring students in their various departments. This opportunity allows students from universities all across the province to gain first-hand experience in their fields of study.
The program itself is a great source of pride for the City, as it enables students to acquire skills, learn, and thrive in a hands-on environment. For many, it is a first glimpse into the field they wish to pursue.
With many following different scholastic paths, the 2023 interns from various departments shared their thoughts about their time at the City. Here is a look into who they are and what exactly they had to say:
Ashley-Marie Torres is currently studying Civil Engineering at Concordia University. During her time with the City, she worked closely with on-site engineers and gained knowledge on the inner workings of a construction site.
In her interview, she stated that her favourite aspect about working at the City is “the people, the environment around me … everyone is super nice and willing to teach me.”
David Faddoul recently completed his bachelor’s in Urban Planning at the University of Montréal. This upcoming fall, he will continue his studies in Project Management at HEC Montréal.
As an intern, he has worked on multiple projects, the biggest one being the revision of Pointe-Claire Planning Program.
In his interview, he expressed that “the City gives us the space to develop our own autonomy… they really treat us like professionals…while still supervising us and assisting us when needed.”
Sarah Wakeling is currently studying at McGill University in Bioresource Engineering. In her time at the City, she worked closely with the Environment and Sustainable Development team.
In her interview, Sarah explained that her internship experience “developed her autonomy… and her patience.”
“Unlike at school, there’s never a right or wrong answer, just room for improvement.”
Roselyne Gendron is currently doing her master’s in Information Studies at the University of Montréal.
After her studies, she wishes to become a full-time librarian. Her student internship at the Central Library has been extremely valuable as it has given her the opportunity to learn the real skills associated with her dream job.
During her interview, she expressed that “The librarian world is often very difficult to enter … Pointe-Claire’s student librarian position is rather unique… as someone who wanted to learn more, I couldn’t help but apply.”
Gwendal Martin is an international student from France doing his master’s in Environmental Management at the University of Sherbrooke.
Working alongside the City’s environmental team, Gwendal has learned how to “collaborate with the different departments.”
He also mentioned that he had “a wonderful supervisor” who motivated him to come into work every day.
Alexia Botezatu is currently majoring in both History and Anthropology at McGill University.
After working at Pointe-Claire’s Canoe Kayak Club, Alexia returned for another summer with the City to intern for the Public Security Department.
When asked what her favourite aspect about working at the City was, she said: “The public security team … the team here has been amazing since I first started.”
“It was a big learning process … they’ve been by my side the whole time, answering all my questions no matter how many times I asked.”
We would like to thank the 2023 students for their contributions to the City of Pointe-Claire. We hope their experience has shown them the challenges associated with a career in the municipal sector. We wish them success in their studies and look forward to seeing them again in years to come.