51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ

Student to Founder: Reimagining Co-op Through Entrepreneurship

Co-written by Afshan Basaria, Co-operative Education, and student contributor
Jacky Au.

There’s co-op—and then there are experiences that push beyond the traditional employer–student model into something far more dynamic: creation, ownership, and real-world impact.

At the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, students aren’t just stepping into roles—they’re building, testing, and launching ventures in live environments. In fact, SIAT co-op student Jacky Au has already taken his venture, Snacki, beyond concept—it's currently operating at a VIA Rail location. That’s not a simulation. That’s execution.

I had the opportunity to attend a recent venture presentation session hosted by the Institute, where Jacky presented this project. What stood out wasn’t just the quality of the idea—it was the clarity of thinking, the ownership of the process, and the ability to translate academic learning into something tangible.

This is what co-op can look like when the model expands beyond placement into practice.

Below, Jacky shares his experience in his own words:

Introduction:
During my eCo-op through the 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏCharles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship, I worked as the founder and operator of Snacki Vending, a startup focused on reimagining the traditional vending machine experience through better user experience, healthier, and culturally diverse food options. What began as an idea quickly evolved into a hands-on exploration of how design, business, and technology intersect in the real world.

In this role, I was responsible for every aspect of the venture from securing locations and managing supplier relationships to shaping the user experience and building the brand. Rather than focusing solely on the machines themselves, I worked to design a complete service experience that better supports communities such as office workers and industrial workplaces, where convenient and thoughtful food options are often limited.

Problem solving and Adaptability
One of the biggest challenges I faced during my eCo-op was dealing with a refrigeration system failure in one of our smart vending machines. The issue created tension with a site manager, as repeated service visits disrupted their operations and affected our professional relationship.

To address this, I had to quickly shift from a purely technical mindset to a communication and customer relations approach. I worked on coordinating between the supplier, our internal team, and the site manager to create a more predictable and structured resolution plan. This included setting clearer expectations, improving response timelines, and proactively communicating updates rather than reacting to problems.

This experience taught me that problem solving is not just about fixing the technical issue, but also about managing relationships, expectations, and trust. By the end of the situation, we were able to stabilize the partnership and create a smoother operational process moving forward.

Lessons-learned:
The most important thing I learned during my eCo-op is that real world impact comes from balancing vision with execution. While it’s easy to have ideas, bringing them to life requires adaptability, resilience, and constant iteration.

I also learned that communication is just as important as technical or business skills. Whether working with suppliers, partners, or customers, the ability to clearly align expectations and build trust is critical to long-term success.

Most importantly, this experience showed me that I am capable of operating in uncertainty and building something meaningful from the ground up. It strengthened my confidence as both a creator and an entrepreneur, and reshaped how I approach problem solving, design, and collaboration.