Name: William Au
Age: 24
Occupation: Degen
Favourite Pro Writing Class: Creative writing seminar

What has working on this magazine taught you?
I didn’t learn anything; the special project is a great opportunity to brush up on the skills you’ve developed from the program. There’s actually a surprising amount of work, which includes proofreading, posting on social media, conducting interviews, and working with Indesign and Squarespace.   

Name: Katerina Glowienka
Age: 20
Occupation: Customer service
Favourite Pro Writing Class: Story Telling Theory

What has working on this magazine taught you?
It’s taught me a lot about deadlines, making sure meeting yours is top priority, or else it can affect the workers after you. It’s also taught me that not everyone can come through, and sometimes you need to work around those surprises. Being quick on your feet is a handy skill that most should learn.

Name: Gavin Hart
Age: 20
Occupation: Dog groomer trainee
Favourite Pro Writing Class: Creative writing seminar

What has working on this magazine taught you?
Working on this magazine has taught me to be a little more serious about deadlines, especially when it affects others.

Name: Kayla Randall    
Age: 20
Occupation: Key holder at Plato’s Closet in Barrhaven, aspiring writer, tea connoisseur
Favourite Pro Writing Class: Applied Storytelling

What has working on this magazine taught you?
That deadlines will come faster than you think, and making sure your whole team is on the same page is detrimental to how the project goes.

Name: Mikayla
Age: 20
Occupation: Market research interviewer
Favourite Pro Writing Class: Creative writing seminar

What has working on this magazine taught you?
Communication skills within a group for sure. You constantly need to be communicating with one another about progress and to check that everyone's on track. If one person falls behind, you all do.

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario. I like skateboarding, martial arts, and reading. Right now, I'm reading A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin.

Where are you doing your placement?
I'm doing my placement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa. It's a charity organization that works with youth who need a positive role model in their lives.  

So Jen, where are you doing your placement?
I am working at Rural Ottawa South Support Services (ROSSS), under the guidance of Courtney Rock, the Community Manager. I am specifically working on their quarterly publication and the development of an online blog, media outreach work.

Rina Gibbons made time for us to catch up with how her placement has been going.

Rina, where is your placement? 
My placement is in the Communications Department of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s (CHEO) Research Institute. 

So Dani, tell us about what you’re doing for your field placement?
I’m helping Kind, an LGBT+ support organization for the Ottawa community that provides a safe environment for the LGBT+ community. I’ve been helping them relocate to a space they will be sharing with Planned Parenthood Ottawa. I created their relocation poster; which I’m really happy about. I proofread and edited the announcement they sent out to the donors, volunteers, and board members. I also review fact sheets, and organize the library.

Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Matt Miller and I'm 23 in May. I like writing, anime, manga, and playing video games. I spend a lot of time on Twitter engaging with people who share similar interests.

Where are you doing your placement?
I'm doing my placement from home and working with Pub-Craft: Romance Specialists.

We caught up with Corey Reed of the Algonquin Professional Writing Program to discuss his recent placement. Here is a short excerpt from our interview!

How did you secure your placement?
Really, through determination and initiative. I was keen on getting a placement within the Government. It all felt so simple; I was offered the placement during the initial interview and never had any problems. I feel very lucky - if anything, I feel a little guilty that I didn't have to fight more to get in.

Tell us Kelly, where is your placement?
Queensway Carleton Hospital. I’m in the Communications office, working with the Director and her coworker. It’s small – only two people – but it’s awesome.

Why did you choose The Queensway Hospital?
Honestly? It was a mix of a few things. My sister volunteered here and liked it, this was where my father went, and the health care field is a secure place to work, and I want to get my foot in the door. It’s got decent benefits, and it’s not as flimsy as some other fields. I was thinking of my life in twenty years. 

Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Emily Theelen. I've lived in Ottawa forever and there's nothing all that interesting about me. I like stuff and fun. My hobbies are eating, sleeping, and complaining.

Where are you doing your placement?
I'm doing my placement at the Canadian Association of Optometrists. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a small NGO that represents Optometrists in Canada.