What I did on my summer co-op

Connor Cullen

Systems Archivist

Over the course of my summer co-op term with Artefactual I was afforded many opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. I worked as a Systems Archivist on the Hosting team, which helps troubleshoot support requests and resolve client issues, providing archival domain expertise as well as delivering training and developing resources for clients.

Below are some of the many highlights:

Remote Work

This placement was my first remote work opportunity; I initially anticipated that I might struggle to keep myself motivated and on task while working from home, but the flexibility of the work schedule and the lack of distractions only increased my productivity. Additionally, I believed working remotely would be a lonely affair, when in reality I was constantly connected to colleagues and even met up with several people located near me.

Rewarding Interactions with Clients

I have always enjoyed helping people–specifically solving their problems or providing them with information and resources–and that has inevitably drawn me time and again to customer service roles. With Artefactual, I found the issues that clients faced in making their collections accessible and discoverable to the public to be varied, often complex, and satisfying to resolve. As the co-op term progressed, I started to build rapport and establish relationships with certain clients as well, and felt that I could genuinely help them achieve their goals.

Applying Knowledge from Studies

This placement with Artefactual also provided me with opportunities to apply knowledge gained from my studies, especially what I have learned about digital preservation.

Part of a Supportive, Collaborative Team

More important to me overall than any other aspect is to work for a company or organization with whom my values align, whose work I admire, and whose work environment is conducive to teamwork, collaboration, and employee empowerment. I was fortunate enough during this co-op term to be a part of a truly supportive and collaborative team, all striving towards the same goals. This cross-organizational teamwork was on display in meetings, workshops, project planning and delivery, and in colleagues’ approachability and compassion. 

Accountable for My Own Projects

My primary projects kept me busy and also allowed me to learn the ins and outs of Access to Memory (AtoM)--one of Artefactual’s software products. Working in conjunction with the product’s developers and maintainers, one project involved keeping AtoM’s documentation current and accurate as the company progressed towards its most recent release. Project tasks included proofreading and editing the AtoM user manual as well as taking new and improved screenshots for the step-by-step instructions in each section. My other project involved working closely with a colleague on the Hosting team to create more streamlined and accessible resources for clients.

Developing New Skills

Across my projects and regular tasks, I was able to develop new skills, build on pre-existing ones, and gain experience using a variety of software and other digital tools.

I benefited greatly from this placement and I’m grateful to all of the people at Artefactual who made me feel welcomed and supported along the way. This opportunity not only allowed me to develop new skills and to apply knowledge gained from my studies in a professional context, but it also opened my eyes to other possible career paths within and beyond the cultural heritage sector.

Now that the co-op term has finished, I’m happy to share that I will be staying on with Artefactual in the same role of Systems Archivist as part of the Customer Support team. I look forward to contributing however I can and to helping clients achieve their access and preservation goals.