FHS student learns valuable entrepreneurship skills during Co-op in India

FHS student Kamaljot Sohi has always been the kind of person who enjoys learning about anything and everything. With her desire to do a Co-op placement, she was drawn to an unconventional opportunity: the Entrepreneurship Co-op with the SFU India Connect Program, an opportunity that has historically gone to Business Co-op students.

According to Sohi, the idea of getting a chance to live in India again was what first drew her to the position. While she was born in Canada, her family moved back to India when she was a child. Although they eventually returned to Canada  and have been living here for the last 12 years, she still maintains a strong connection to India. Ultimately, it was her interest in learning more about business and its risks that intrigued her to apply.

“As an FHS student, I am not exposed to the idea of entrepreneurship that much, but I have always been curious about it,” she explains. “During my co-op, I was able to see so many startups using innovative ways to address healthcare problems in India. It inspired me to be more open to using my health science knowledge to think about innovative ideas when I look at any health problem.”

Striving to improve the lives of rural and lower socioeconomic communities, Sohi worked with the Deshpande Foundation’s Skill in Village content research team to better understand the needs of ESL education in local government schools. She was able to assess the organization's impact on the health of local communities, as they were supporting social determinants of health, such as education, income, and agriculture. As she worked to help students and entrepreneurs realize their potential, she was inspired to be more open to using her health science knowledge to help her think of innovative solutions to problems.

Combining the entrepreneurship skills she gained with the theories and processes learned from FHS courses, she is able to apply her creativity to the health industry.

“During my co-op, I realized that the global health industry is changing, and the innovative skills I gained will be an asset to finding creative solutions.” says Sohi.

As for those looking to apply for Co-op, Sohi advises that any Co-op can be valuable as long as you are interested, and you will learn something new from your interest in the experience.

“I think adaptability and problem solving skills are essential. Both these skills will help you in new and challenging environments. As a health sciences student, you can have a career in many different fields, such as public health, health promotion or research so it is important to be able to adapt to the different fields to be successful."