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Shirley Li
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An entry-level position does not necessarily mean that one must perform the most basic and routine tasks. In contrast, it can be fun, challenging, and rewarding. Shirley Li, a second year Accounting student, was very fortunate to be placed at Health Canada where her assignments required critical thinking, organizing, analyzing, and team work skills.
As an Accounting Assistant in the Budgeting Unit, Shirley was responsible for providing summary and detailed monthly financial reports for grants, contribution funding, and expenditures. She also performed other major tasks such as tracking and reporting SARS-related expenditures, making journal entries/coding adjustments, and creating/updating spreadsheet templates for capital agreements, SAP payment schedules, period analyses, and transfer costing estimates.
Shirley credits her studies at Douglas College for her success at Health Canada. "The academic courses in the Accounting Program allowed me to start working with a strong accounting background. It was very important and really helpful at the beginning of the work term when I had to learn quickly how everything was set up and functioned at Health Canada. Also, I was able to build up some good computer skills through the program, which made it easy for me to adapt and become familiar with the systems used by the employer.
More importantly, the Co-op experience provided me with the opportunity to transform the academic theories I learned from school to practical hands-on experience while learning things that I probably would never be taught in the classroom. In addition, I learned how to work well with others, how to deal with deadlines if unexpected issues came up, and how to communicate effectively with managers, co-workers and clients. I have learned many things that will definitely be useful in the future. I now have a better understanding about working in terms of reality versus idealism."
The placement at Health Canada has clarified Shirley's career goal. "Although I would like to try out different types of jobs at different organizations, I now know that working for the government will be one of my favourite options."
Shirley has an excellent track record at Douglas College. Not only has she been on the Honour Roll twice, she has also been a recipient for The CGA Academic Excellence Scholarship and The Skene Scholarship for Business Excellence.
