Working at INPO, you learn many things that you can take with you for the rest of your life. Looking back, I see a dramatic change in my personality professionally and personally from when I joined INPO and when I left. I learned how to work in a corporate environment, how to work on a team with very define roles, and how to work within a diverse environment. As a co-op, INPO offered opportunities to help me understand and plan my career goals. These can range from certifications to working side by side with IT professionals. While I was working as an IT co-op for INPO, I was introduced to the corporate environment for the first time. I had to learn how to adapt to various types of peoples and situations. Every person at INPO has a different level of competence when it came to technology, and I had to be aware of this. I also had to be aware of their ability to accept and receive help from someone who is almost half their age in some instances. Communicating and working with a multitude of personalities and skill sets helped shape my own personal skill sets. The skills that you can learn in a co-op program, especially one from INPO, are invaluable and will never leave you. The responsibilities that are given to you as a co-op here at INPO are also an important factor in developing career goals. You are given an opportunity to working in different areas in the Help Desk to see things from different angles. This also helped me “stay on my toes” as you are given a chance to change pace or work environment. While you do get to work with your team in the immediate help desk, working with the second level support staff was a big plus. You were not expected to ask to shadow along or learn from the “pros”, but I took every opportunity that I could to sit next to someone who was a veteran in their field and learn from them. Here at INPO, we have a wide variety of professionals in the IT field that gives the co-op program access a star-studded panel of knowledgeable people. Absorbing knowledge and gaining experience while at INPO were my two main goals and I think I have reached and even exceeded both goals in many instances. The certifications, experience, and understanding of IT and support that were gained at INPO prepared me to start my career. I am now more confident and skilled when it comes to IT and working in a corporate environment. Going into my first career job, I will bring dedication, leadership skills, communication skills, and IT skills to the table with results. This can be credited to my time here at INPO.