2021 has been a special year, in good and bad ways. Classes became online, which means I could go to school anywhere I wanted. Call it chance, or fate, that I came across the opportunity to join RE Royalties. I was thousands of miles away from Canada when I was offered the job for the summer, and I was even ready to work remotely in a +15 hours time zone. Luckily for me, the RE Royalties team is a group of kind and understanding people who agreed to push my term to September, for which I have remained grateful.
My good fortune did not end there. I joined the company at its busiest time ever, which translates to more deals I can help with, and more opportunities for me to learn things. I was surprised initially that RE let the intern join client calls to listen in, but I became very comfortable with that soon enough. I have worked on several exciting projects so far, ranging from solar farms to energy storage. It was my pleasure to have the opportunity to help RE tap into new territories such as digital infrastructure. The entire team worked tirelessly to see the deal through, and the outcome was indeed rewarding. I also worked with the team on corporate finance modelling, which I hope has the potential to shape RE’s future. I am proud to be part of all this, no matter big or small.
I think RE Royalties is truly a perfect place for a rookie like myself to sharpen and expand my skill set. The small, tight-knit team gives me plenty of responsibility, autonomy, and opportunities to own my work. Oftentimes, I would have to figure stuff out on my own and get things done creatively, and there are no better ways to learn other than this. I got to know about project finance, more advanced modelling, and various types of renewable energy technologies, things I had been totally clueless about. Most importantly, I always feel like I am trusted by the team to do meaningful work, and my opinions are valued. Being treated as an integral part of the team is a rare thing to find for a Co-op student. During this 4-month term, I have made good friends within the team, friends I can honestly open up to. And that is something else that is hard to come by.
The September to December term is coming to an end, and it is almost time for me to say my goodbyes with RE Royalties for now. I have decided to pursue a new opportunity after. Still, these four months with RE will always have a special place in my heart when it comes to responsibility, professional development, and the support and care I received from the team. I feel fortunate and honoured to work with RE Royalties, and I am beginning to appreciate the beauty of the renewable energy space. I will try to focus my future career around this sector, and I will remember that it all began with RE Royalties.