By Rob Wong
Over the summer and during the school year, high school students have the option to take a co-op course where they work at a job for a limited amount of time to gain work experience. I’ve had a lot of experience with video editing in the past, so working for a social media focused company like Teens Learn to Drive fit very well for me.
Over the course of my two weeks here, I’ve worked on many different projects and assignments. Most of these cover a variety of topics, however they are all under the general theme of driver’s safety. The fact that I can pursue one of my most avid interests, video editing, while earning a high school credit and helping others stay safe on the road is one of the reasons that I have enjoyed working here.
During my first couple of days at TL2D, I was introduced to the team and familiarized myself with the format of how they worked. I shadowed one of the video editors and graphic designers for a few hours. The next day, I was given the task of taking old YouTube videos and re-formatting/shortening them to post on TikTok and Instagram. Throughout all of my work and projects, it was made clear that I could go to anyone on the team for help. After a few attempts to remake the first video, with some feedback from the team, it became much easier to do the same thing for the rest of the videos.
After thoroughly familiarizing myself with the way the team operates, it became much easier to take and finish projects at a decent speed. My days usually consisted of working on projects and asking other workers what they needed help with.
The projects that I worked on or helped with included:
- Reformatting videos
- Making a short introduction teaser for the company
- Making a TikTok video about what a day looks like for me
- Designing signs for a conference
- 2D animating a logo
- Researching streetcars/safety
- Making informational videos about video editing for the VZYN ambassadors
Teens Learn To Drive is an incredibly supportive setting for any intern or co-op student. If anyone is given the same opportunity that I was, I heavily recommend that anyone in a similar position take it. Not only was my personal experience and portfolio expanded, it’s one of the most fun ways you can earn high school credits. The team is very enthusiastic and passionate about what they do.
