Software Engineering Co-op Student

Ahana Ahluwalia

is a fifth-year Bachelor of Software Engineering student who worked four co-op terms at Telus Business Solutions, was awarded the 2023 Co-op Student of the Year. Ahluwalia worked as a software developer on a core networking DevOps team to automate, test, develop and deploy an API platform that interacts with the central database to track IP address assignments. She also built tools in the lab, testing and validating their operation and assisting with deployment to production environments. She also assisted with solutions related to network security, working closely with various partners and stakeholders on the security team. Here, she shares her insights on the benefits of co-operative education. During her co-op, Ahluwalia facilitated talks on bias and equity through the Tech Leadership program. Ahluwalia learned a lot from her Telus colleagues, from their technical experience and how they approached the work. “Everyone had a great attitude; their energy was motivating and uplifting. From their example, I learned how to shift perspectives and move forward.” A peer mentor for first-year engineers, Ahluwalia strives to reduce drop-out rates through formal and informal capacities.