• The student will receive an Orientation to the work of the GSS from the General Manager covering areas like the structure of the team, function of the society as well as practical areas like health and safety.
• The Communications and Marketing Director will provide an orientation to the communications activities of the Society, and the brand guidelines.
• Ongoing training and supervision is provided by the Communications and Marketing Director

NETWORKING AND MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

• Experience working in a communications environment, meeting other communications professionals on campus and gathering knowledge from professional staff
•  Working with graduate student executives. An opportunity to understand more about their work and how student run societies operate
• Interacting with print houses and other professional suppliers
• The opportunity to present work to the Society’s governing bodies, including the GSS Council
• General career mentorship from the Communication and Marketing Director in areas such as: interacting successfully with staff and faculty, developing a portfolio, and advice about future job applications

SUPPORT AND EVALUATION

• The student will work in the same office as the Communications and Marketing Director and communication, questions, ideas and suggestions are encouraged. They are an essential part of a good communications team.
• Weekly opportunities to meet one on one with supervisor to discuss performance and to set work for the upcoming period
• At the end of the period and possibly after the completion of individual projects there will be a general debrief about the role. This is an opportunity for discussion, suggestions for improvements and recognition of successes.

WORKPLACE SKILLS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

For students interested in working in design or communications fields, working as part of a team delivering integrated marketing and communications campaigns is invaluable. This work provides hands on experience that relates directly to real world jobs in the communications or digital design fields.

By the end of the work term, the Visual Communications Assistant will have gained:

• Experience of working in a professional office environment, serving the needs of graduate students
• Hands on experience of working on marketing and communications campaigns for graduate students
• Design experience for a variety of different mediums (e.g. print, social media, merchandising)
• Deeper understanding of student-centred communications and messaging
• Enhanced communication skills. By being a member of a team, the student will enhance their listening skills and ability to communicate ideas clearly
• Increased confidence in leadership skills by taking the initiative on developing design ideas
• Effective time management skills by managing deadlines and learning how to prioritize urgent items
• The opportunity to develop design items for a portfolio, that can support coursework or future job applications

The ability to connect with graduate students and to understand how to communicate with a specific audience