Empowering success: A student testimonial - Maari Mannila
October 10, 2024 - Defence Stories
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Maari Mannila
My name is Maari Mannila, and I am student from Ottawa, Ontario working at the Department of National Defence (DND). This fall, I went into my fourth year at Carleton University in the Bachelor of Commerce program. I am also completing a minor in personality and social psychology and a Certificate in Multidisciplinary Studies in Mental Health and Well-Being. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, trying new foods and restaurants, and being outdoors. Also lately, I have been practicing French through different applications. I am not bilingual; however, a goal of mine is to improve my French language skills.
I was originally hired to the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) at DND through the Co-op program in May 2023. Since then, I have worked on the strategy side of the Human Resources (HR) team both full time during the summers and with reduced hours during my school terms. While much of my work aligns with my university studies, I have learned a lot of new things and gained valuable experience during my time here. This past summer, my responsibilities included creating statistics with Power BI and Excel, providing support in creating our Level 1 (L1) HR site, and coordinating reference checks for candidates.
I have had an incredibly positive experience during my time at DND. Being my first professional role, I was intimidated at first by the size of the campus and with meeting so many new people. However, I quickly found my way and was welcomed to the team. I really enjoy being a part of the collaborative and supportive culture at the CPCC here at DND. I appreciate the flexible nature of the option of hybrid work and the choice of which days to be in the office. This helps me to support a good work-life balance, especially while I am still in school.
Since I began working with DND, my goal has been to gain as much knowledge and professional experience as possible to support my future career path. I would like to say a big thank you to my colleagues on the HR and training team for welcoming me to the team and continuously teaching and supporting me.
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Points of contact
- If you are a student and would like to submit a testimonial, please send an email to hrciv_communications_rhciv@forces.gc.ca
- Hiring managers, if you need help finding a student for your team, contact the National Student Hiring Team by email at CIV.DND.NationalStudentHiring-EmbaucheNationaleEtudiants.MDN@forces.gc.ca