DND’s Student Experience Testimonial: Jesse Joseph

January 10, 2023 - Defence Stories

My name is Jesse and I am a 20 year old student from Cambridge, Ontario who works at the Department of National Defense (DND) and here is my student experience!

I am completing the fourth year of my undergraduate degree in political communications with a minor in public administration at the University of Ottawa. When I am not busy with school and work, I enjoy going out with friends as well as staying in and ordering take out. Other hobbies of mine are playing sports such as basketball and volleyball, playing videogames, watching anime, and working out.

I first learned about federal student positions on the Federal Student Workplace Experience Program (FSWEP) website. I submitted my resume through FSWEP then completed my student profile where I identified as a visible minority in Canada. After completing my profile, I was contacted by various hiring managers across the Government of Canada. A DND hiring manager reached out for an interview and I was later hired as a student for Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources-Civilian), under the Directorate Strategic Initiatives team. The hiring process was very easy and straightforward.

Being a student at DND is great! I get to work part-time while attending school full time. I also get to experience a hybrid work environment, which provides me with flexibility around when I can work, when I can focus on school, and when I can manage personal affairs. My workload is very suitable to my hours and skill set and I stay connected to my supervisors and peers via Microsoft Teams. I love the flexibility DND offers its students as well as the work culture.  I work with an experienced team of young individuals who are energetic and very helpful.

As I approach the end of my student term, I am able to lead a student staffing project and construct the communications plan.. I wish to continue working for the federal government and to further my learning with the many workshops and courses offered at DND.

Students, if you’d like to submit a testimonial of your “Student Experience”, please send an email to hrciv_communications_rhciv@forces.gc.ca!

Hiring managers, if you are ready to hire a student candidate, contact HR Connect RH (accessible only on the National Defence network) who can guide you through the online staffing HR Request (accessible only on the National Defence network) process or complete it for you!