On April 10, Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE) student Cloe Calder had her creative skills on full display as she hosted a pop-up event at NC’s Libraries and Learning Commons Exploratory where she has been completing her co-op placement throughout the winter term.
During the event Calder welcomed visitors to the Exploratory and explained the process of button-making, one of the many creative activities available in the makerspace for students.
“I really like showing people how to make buttons using the button making machine,” said Calder. “I’m excited to tell other students about the Exploratory, because they might not know about it yet.”
The Libraries and Learning Commons Exploratory is a digital media lab and makerspace for current NC employees and students to access various types of technology and software that might not otherwise be available to them. The space holds software and equipment for filming videos, recording audio, editing videos and designing graphics. There are also virtual reality headsets, a 3D printer, Cricut machine and button maker.
The Exploratory is a popular co-op placement partner among CICE students and Calder has enjoyed learning new creative skills as well as practical ones. Matt Bohun, Library Facilitator, who has been supervising Calder along with Dana O’Hagan, Library Coordinator, during her co-op placement, has seen her skills and her confidence grow over the term.
Cloe Calder with her co-op supervisors, Matt Bohun, Library Facilitator and Dana O’Hagan, Library Coordinator.
“During her co-op placement, Cloe has worked hard to develop and expand her skillset,” said Bohun. “From learning how to keep track of inventory, keeping up the maintenance of the space and developing her people skills, Cloe has been a great addition to the team.”
Calder is one of 41 students currently enrolled in NC’s CICE program which offers individuals with intellectual disabilities and significant learning challenges the opportunity to immerse themselves in college life while enhancing their academic, employability and social skills.
Aaron Russell, CICE Field Placement Officer is proud of how far Calder has come during her time in the program.
“Cloe has come a long way with the development of her skills,” he said. “Through her co-op placements she has developed her customer service skills, assisted the CICE program with several activities that were instrumental in the development of the new CICE Learning Lab and is now applying her learning in new innovative outlets through the Exploratory.”
Field placements are a key component to the CICE program and students work on a variety of employment skills while working with their placement partners. Some examples of skills that the students learn, no matter where they are placed, are time management, professionalism, attention to detail, appropriate workplace communication, customer service, task prioritization, multi-tasking, and workplace health and safety, to name a few.
Calder, who is in her last term of the program has enjoyed her time working in the Exploratory and is looking forward to new opportunities after graduation.
“I’m looking forward to completing the CICE program and graduating, and then getting a job, or maybe coming back for another program, or both!” said Calder. “I’d like to go into the aesthetics program, and learn how to do nails, hair, makeup, and eyelashes. That’s my main interest.”
