Empowering Students for the Future: How McMaster’s UTAG Provides Real-World IT Experience
McMaster University student Dione Leung recognizes the inherent challenges of transitioning into the job market following graduation.
“One difficulty we face as students in the professional world is having concrete, practical experience to back up our claims on our resumes,” said the fourth-year student in the Justice, Political Philosophy and Law program at McMaster University.
Leung sought to turbocharge her opportunities by joining the University Technology Assistance Group (UTAG), which brings together students with diverse perspectives and skillsets to support IT at McMaster. The group provides fresh perspectives and unique design-thinking that continuously improves the technology services used by the university community.
Having first joined UTAG remotely during the pandemic, Leung found the unique working landscape at the time provided her with the chance to look at the future of work could be, unlimited by convention and standard practices.
As a part of the pilot team with no precedent to refer to, the students built their own image of a fully virtual team and assigned each member of the team a specific role to organize channels and workflow. This practice led to a more developed sense of comradery, where students relied on one another to maintain meetings, documents and activities.
It was this teamwork and the unique skillsets of her peers that truly hooked Leung on the UTAG model. “I enjoyed experiencing the diversity of members and the sense of shared achievement when we accomplished something major,” she said. “Each of our backgrounds, from major and program, to lived experiences and inherent traits, provided such a rich background to pull from. We used our diverse skills to develop presentations and solutions in ways only UTAG could.”
Over the past three years, UTAG has leveraged the potential of students to improve the ever-evolving technological needs of the campus community. Each summer, UTAG assembles a team of four students who immerse themselves in a world of innovation.
Through their diverse abilities, dedication, and advanced technological fluency, these student teams play an integral role by delivering seamless and transformative IT services to McMaster, such as: the creation and launch of the widely utilized Discover and Learn website and curated Microsoft 365 training sessions for staff.
“Their work has helped spark creativity and innovation at McMaster, enabling our team to meet the diverse needs of technology users on campus,” says Christa Morrison, a Business Systems Specialist with UTS and leader of the UTAG teams.
Leung, having worked alongside her fellow UTAG members and UTS staff, can now share her problem-solving skills and tangible achievements with potential employers, such as the ‘Discover and Learn’ site.
“Working at McMaster provided meaningful and challenging practical experiences which I used as reference to move onto future projects,” said Leung. “It’s enriched my personal and professional life which has given me the confidence to move forward into the professional world.”
Get Involved
UTAG is but one example of how McMaster supports students who seek professional development experiences at the university. A vast spectrum of opportunities and experiences are available to students at McMaster every year.
Looking for work experience? Head to our Campus Jobs & Experience page for more details.
Join us on May 25 from 11-12:30pm as members of UTAG inspire young Hamiltonians (aged 7-14) by taking kids and their families through a Design Thinking exercise to illustrate how to find a solution to a problem.
(Pictured clockwise from top row are current and previous UTAG students: Faizan Parabtani, Dabeer Abdul-Azeez, Mohamed Aslam, Sumanth Bhat, Xianzhao (Paul) Duan, Sobia Eram Khan, Chanel Morrison, Christa Morrison (Business Systems Specialist and UTAG supervisor 2020-2023), Dione Leung, Ayesha Hassan, and Anthony Jones. Not pictured: Larissa Padayachee)
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The Student Perspective
Below, six UTAG students share their experiences about how the group helped prepare them for the future.
Mohammed Aslam Noorani
Study: Masters in Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation from WBooth School.
On transformative experiences: “At UTAG, I got the experience to navigate through uncertain situations. I learned to stay calm when you’re surrounded by chaos and navigate it by breaking down into simpler and comprehendible tasks.”
Dabeer Abdul-Azeez
Study: Bachelor of Engineering, Engineering Physics & Biomedical Engineering
On confidence and sharing ideas: “People do want to hear your ideas! There were several project meetings where we were encouraged to speak up and present our ideas, and it was a great feeling. It made me a lot more confident in myself in a workplace environment.”
Sumanth Bhat
Study: Master of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
On creativity and support: “For me, a key learning moment would be ability to produce an innovative or creative idea and having a feeling that all the ideas are listened to and supported throughout.”
Sobia Eram Khan
Study: Master of Engineering, Systems & Technology
On growth: “This position helped me think from different perspectives and taught me not to jump to conclusions, but to analyze, brainstorm, and think on behalf of wider audiences. I also learned a lot of presentation and email writing skills. It also helped me conquer my stage fright and fear of large crowds.”
Xianzhao (Paul) Duan
Study: Computer Science
On key learning moments: “One of the most significant takeaways from my working with UTAG is how important that information is designed/displayed clearly and intuitively. Clear and intuitive design helps people save time in reading and understanding what we delivered.”
Chanel Morrison
Study: Bachelor of Science Honours Biology Core
On personal development: “The diverse range of responsibilities I have taken on has allowed me to enhance my organizational skills and prioritize tasks effectively. Overall, my time working at McMaster has contributed significantly to my personal and professional growth, enabling me to become a more well-rounded and capable individual.”