University of Calgary
Not a career building environment
Associate Director, Internal Control (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 16 October 2018
If you value your career progress I would stay away from it. I have been their 4 year and half over which time my direct report to manager has not expressed any dissatisfaction and I have always met performance review target, however i was terminated without cause abruptly.
No opportunities for advancement, no benefits
animal care (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 2 October 2018
Has the potential to be a great place to work if you manage to secure a full-time position. However, the University relies on multiple recurring part-time staff on a daily basis but claims that there is not enough work for additional full-time positions. This way they do not have to provide benefits or job security to a large portion of their staff while benefiting from their work. Many of my coworkers had multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet. Work-life balance was strained due to this.
Negative work environment due to some part-time staff working comparable hours to the full-time staff without any benefits or job security.
Negative work environment due to some part-time staff working comparable hours to the full-time staff without any benefits or job security.
Pros
Good facilities
Cons
Rely heavily on part-time staff, no benefits, stagnant wages, very low qol salary increments for p/t positions (less than 3%)
You have control over your own work process
Student Assistant (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 26 September 2018
It was great working there. In my case, I worked with the library and it involved metadata collection. You have to find creative ways to retrieve the information, which is part of the fun.
Overall, the supervisors are sweet, the job is relatively easy (though sometimes tedious), and the people around you are willing to help when you need it.
Overall, the supervisors are sweet, the job is relatively easy (though sometimes tedious), and the people around you are willing to help when you need it.
Pros
Easy, great workplace culture
Cons
Work sometimes gets repetitive
A great place to acquire skills and expand your breadth of knowledge
Executive Assistant, VPR (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 20 September 2018
Working at the University of Calgary for over 5 years has afforded me the opportunity to develop my current skill set as well and expand my breadth of knowledge. I am privileged to work with all faculties and departments as well as government and industry stakeholders.
I have grown in the areas of partnership development and have demonstrated a strong ability to cultivate key relations both internally and externally. Working at the university has allowed me to grow in my passion: bringing people together to create opportunities for collaborative success
I have grown in the areas of partnership development and have demonstrated a strong ability to cultivate key relations both internally and externally. Working at the university has allowed me to grow in my passion: bringing people together to create opportunities for collaborative success
good for gaining experience
Graduate Teaching Assistant (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 16 September 2018
Great place to start your career. Great work culture but may sometime depend on your course co-ordinator. Senior level courses are easier to teach than first year courses
Pros
good work culture
Cons
long hours
easy job
Graduate Teaching Assistant (Former Employee) – Alberta – 14 September 2018
TAship is a part of my scholarship. It is not a easy job. I had to attend each class and prepare for Monday tutorial. In the meantime, I was also responsible for grading assignment, but my instructor is super nice to me.
Interesting
Electrical Student (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 12 September 2018
I had the opportunity to shadow some of the facility maintenance staff for one summer. from what i saw, the university has excellent salaries and work life balance. since much of the jobs are unionized, there are good salaries and the workers are not worked very hard.
Pros
Easy work
Cons
Boring
Good job while I was in university
Racquet Centre Attendant & Assistant Coach (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 21 August 2018
Provided a fair salary and allowed for a flexible schedule while I was in university. Basic communication and customer service skills is an asset. Good management and however not a great job culture due to the fact that you are the only employee working at a given time.
Pros
Flexible Schedules
Cons
Limited Job Advancement
Salary versus Employment Expectations
Manager (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 23 July 2018
The most difficult part of the job is that salaries are low in relation to experience and workplace duties as compared to other academic settings in Canada. The most enjoyable part of the job is that you can work independently and make the job your own.
I think being a research assistant can be difficult or easy.
Graduate Research Assistant (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 19 July 2018
It always goes back to the professor who hires you as a research assistant. If you get a bad one, then you will follow his work ethic. If he/she is a good professor, you may work really hard for your project.
Pros
Vacation rule can be a little slacking here...
Cons
Work is not supervised sometimes...
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University Review
Cashier (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 17 July 2018
Working here was enjoyable. The hours were good, and you get to learn a lot of new things. You work with nice people, and friendly staff that you get to know. The management are good, and helpful. And it's fun getting to see the students every day.
Pros
Friendly staff, good food.
Cons
Alot of hours
Vibrant and resourceful university
MSc Researcher, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 16 July 2018
Working hours as a MSc student varied between 6-14 hours per day , depending on the experimental load and the availability of equipment, and the research progress.
Pros
Resourceful, Univeristy has a vision to be in the top 5 universities in Canada
Cons
Campus is huge
Too much favoritism from the management in Finance team
Finance Partner (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 4 July 2018
Associate directors and directors in the finance team are people who were promoted without a proper training.
The environment is toxic in a way, there are too many favoritism going on and management will replace people like they are parts in the car.
Not good place to apply nor try to work.
A bit higher compensation may look attractive; however, management think they deserve to slave their staff.
Overtime with no pay is well expected, and lot of people are complaining in the back office.
Management puts double face in the public meeting, but always plan to fire people when they either don't like them or something goes wrong and needing a escape goat.
The environment is toxic in a way, there are too many favoritism going on and management will replace people like they are parts in the car.
Not good place to apply nor try to work.
A bit higher compensation may look attractive; however, management think they deserve to slave their staff.
Overtime with no pay is well expected, and lot of people are complaining in the back office.
Management puts double face in the public meeting, but always plan to fire people when they either don't like them or something goes wrong and needing a escape goat.
Pros
Tuition support
Cons
Toxic culture, Cold and careless management
A nice place to work with flexible schedule
Graduate Research Assistant (Current Employee) – Calgary, AB – 2 July 2018
I worked as a research assistant in the faculty of social work investigating student's experience and level of preparedness in gerontology related courses.
Successful place to learn and upgrade.
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 1 July 2018
This MEng program is often taken on a part-time basis and usually takes four to six years of part-time study beyond a bachelor's degree.
In a course-based program, all degree requirements are fulfilled by completing courses. These may include courses that involve a project, such as a major research paper or group project.
In a course-based program, all degree requirements are fulfilled by completing courses. These may include courses that involve a project, such as a major research paper or group project.
Pros
Ability to learn
Cons
Busy scheduled
teaching/research assistant
Teaching/Research Assistant (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 28 June 2018
the hardest part of the job was to write papers time and time again until it be accepted. most of the time it's just burning your brain and give you depression
Pros
free library
Cons
low income
Great location for work, beautiful grounds
Administrative & Infrastructure Support Assistant (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 29 May 2018
Generally a great place to work, but depending on the department/faculty. Some are deeply hierarchical and dysfunctional - others very positive and supportive!
Pros
Beautiful grounds
Cons
Lots of red tape
Pretty good
Summer Camp Counselor (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 23 May 2018
-its childcare (summer camps) so they pay by the day
-often found myself staying past camp closing time to clean up
-you better like kids if you apply for this job cause you're with children for the whole day
-otherwise my boss really cared for us and made sure we were in "tiptop" shape every week
-often found myself staying past camp closing time to clean up
-you better like kids if you apply for this job cause you're with children for the whole day
-otherwise my boss really cared for us and made sure we were in "tiptop" shape every week
Annual Giving Campaign - Student
Student Leader, Caller and Researcher (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 16 May 2018
This was a fantastic position to hold as a student. I was able to control my hours and gain experience in different roles. It also taught me skills I could use after completing my degree.
Work culture is bit not in my personal taste. Very bureaucratic
Executive MBA IT Assistant (Former Employee) – Calgary, AB – 10 May 2018
I was a part-time employee and my interaction was limited with the rest of the employees as I worked on weekends and I was alone working most of the weekends.
Pros
Free lunch for my role, not for all, stress free work culture
Cons
Not acceptable to changes and pretty hierarchical