From Classroom to Career | Lilia Dahamna

When Lilia Dahamna, 24, began her studies in computer science and mathematics at the University of Ottawa, she knew she was building a strong academic foundation. What she didn’t yet have was a clear sense of how that foundation would translate into a real-world software career.

Her program leaned heavily toward theory. While she enjoyed the academic challenge, Lilia found herself wanting experience that would help her understand how software is actually built and maintained outside the classroom. That realization eventually led her to co-op, which she says fundamentally changed her career trajectory: “I don’t think my career would be where it is today if I hadn’t done co-op.”

Four placements, one clear direction

Over four co-op terms, Lilia gradually moved from exploration to focus. By the time she reached her third placement with Solace, an Ottawa-based data-streaming provider, Lilia had a clearer sense of the type of work she wanted to pursue.

That term proved pivotal. Rather than being limited to small or isolated student tasks, Lilia was given the same responsibilities as other developers on the team. She worked on real features, contributed to active projects, and experienced the pace and expectations of full-time software development. “There was definitely a learning curve,” she recalls, “but I felt very supported. That experience changed a lot for me.”

She would eventually join Solace full-time after graduation.

Supported through WIL Digital

Lilia’s co-op placements were supported through the Information and Communications Technology Council’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Digital program, which provides wage subsidies to employers across Canada’s critical sectors, helping post-secondary students gain meaningful paid work experience through opportunities like co-op placements while still in school.

For Lilia, that support translated into real responsibility and continuity across placements. Rather than being siloed into “student-only” work, she was treated as a contributing member of her teams who was trusted with production code, real features and growing expectations. “I wasn’t just observing,” she says. “It felt like coming back to work each time, not starting over.”

The contrast between classroom learning and workplace expectations quickly became clear. In school, Lilia explains, it’s often possible to succeed without fully mastering every concept. In a professional environment, that margin disappears. “At work, you need to really know the tools and technologies. You’re collaborating, managing processes, and solving problems in real time.”

Because of her co-op experience, transitioning into full-time work felt natural rather than overwhelming. She already understood the systems, workflows, and collaborative dynamics of professional software teams, and was able to contribute immediately.

Building confidence through responsibility

As her co-op terms progressed, so did her confidence. Lilia knew she wanted to become a full-stack developer, and her managers supported that goal by giving her exposure to both frontend and backend work. That variety helped her identify what she enjoyed most: problem-solving and building complete solutions. “I liked having ownership,” she says. “Working on real features and seeing them through made me confident I was on the right path.”

As a woman in software development, Lilia is aware she’s often in the minority, but she never felt out of place. She credits supportive managers and strong female mentors across multiple placements with helping her feel both capable and welcome.

Today, Lilia is thriving in her full-time role and plans to continue growing as a developer. She’s also open to future learning opportunities, including the possibility of further education in areas like cryptography.

Looking back, she sees co-op not as a single opportunity, but as a progression that provided clarity, confidence, and a realistic understanding of her chosen field.

For students considering work-integrated learning, her advice is straightforward: use the resources available to you, don’t be discouraged by early rejections, and focus on building experience. “Especially in software,” she says, “co-op makes all the difference.”

About ICTC’s WIL Digital Program

ICTC’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Digital program provides eligible Canadian employers with grants to subsidize up to 50 percent of a student’s salary over their term. The program takes place over three terms a year: Winter, Spring/Summer, and Fall. Since 2017, it has facilitated over 23,000 student placements with more than 4,000 employers across Canada, and over 65 percent of placed students identifying as belonging to underrepresented groups.

ICTC’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Digital program is funded by the Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program (SWPP).

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