Co-op students play vital role during busy seasons at CBRE Investment Management
By: Krista Henry (she/her)
When CBRE Investment Management (CBRE IM) needs a helping hand through their busiest seasons, they turn to Waterloo co-op students for reliable support.
With locations in more than 100 countries, CBRE IM is a global leader in real estate asset management and investment. In Canada’s CBRE IM private infrastructure group, the organization has been hiring co-op students for their Toronto office for several years.
“We realized we needed extra support in the first half of the year, which is busiest for us with reporting and tax compliance from January to April,” says Zi Zhang (she/her), director of investment finance at CBRE IM.
“Over the years we’ve expanded and grown to needing students year-round. We really find co-op students to be so helpful in getting us through busy seasons and supporting day-to-day tasks.”
A former Waterloo co-op student herself, Zhang (MAcc '12) understands the value that student talent brings to the table. Her department at CBRE IM hires students from the Accounting and Financial Management, Mathematics/Chartered Professional Accountancy and Mathematics/Financial Analysis and Risk Management programs. Students work in roles such as finance and accounting analyst and investment finance intern.
Zi Zhang
Director of investment finance at CBRE IM
Co-op students are so impactful in that they are like a permanent role on our team. The student may always change, but we never go without a co-op student. They each bring their own skillset and personality to our team. We know Waterloo students are studying at a top school, they are in the know of current trends and bring fresh perspectives to our team.
At CBRE IM, students prepare financial statements, interact with external service providers, perform other accounting activities and support year end audits. CBRE IM provides each student with detailed training and onboarding as well as mentorship from peers that have a similar career path.
Small business atmosphere
While part of a global organization, CBRE IM’s Toronto office maintains a small business feel with close connections among the team. For Zhang, the company’s culture is part of what keeps students returning for multiple terms.
“We maintain an open and entrepreneurial atmosphere where the environment is such that students can ask questions and get the support and mentorship they need,” she says. “We find the students we hire have strong aptitudes; they catch on quickly with lots of on-the-job learning. We’re happy to adapt to each student’s needs.”
On the investment finance side, CBRE IM looks for students that are highly analytical, with strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. According to Zhang, one stand-out student evaluated the company’s current processes and created an addition to CBRE IM’s excel program that helped automate financial statement preparation. This work helped save the team valuable hours.
The organization has offered several students, with the right aptitude, full-time roles upon graduation. “Students are very eager to learn and are always up for a challenge. As well as daily tasks, they are a good resource on the team for ad hoc projects,” says Zhang. “A lot of our students are pursuing their chartered public accountant (CPA) designations and we’re able to mentor them and provide accredited experience with us.”
Zhang encourages other similar organizations to hire co-op students to bring a positive attitude and talent to get the work done on a timely basis.