Summer 2026 Co-op Report

01

Introduction

Welcome to my Summer 2026 co-op report about my experience as a Web Applications Developer Co-op at Kenna.

In mid December 2025, I began searching for my first co-op opportunity and came across Kenna's Web Applications Developer position. I was immediately drawn to the company's unique intersection of agriculture, marketing, data, and software.

After speaking with former co-op students and current developers, I became even more confident that Kenna would be a great place to learn. They described a welcoming environment, friendly coworkers, and many opportunities to connect through social events.

During my term, I met many amazing people, strengthened both my technical and communication skills, and gained valuable experience working as part of a professional software development team for the first time.

Kenna office space — Kenna's office space, where I spent my in-person workdays.

02

Information About Kenna

Kenna welcome package — Some items from my welcome package that I got in the first week of my term

About Kenna

Kenna is a Mississauga-based company that brings together marketing, data, strategy, creative work, and software development. Their teams support clients through digital tools, campaign platforms, internal systems, and customer-focused web solutions.

One thing that stood out to me was Kenna's people-first environment. The job posting emphasized Customer First Thinking, and I saw that same mindset reflected in the way students and employees were supported.

Location and Work Environment

Kenna's office is located in Mississauga, about a five minute walk from Square One. That made office days feel lively and convenient, with food, transit, and places to walk nearby.

The hybrid schedule created a good rhythm: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays were in office for collaboration, while Mondays and Fridays were remote for focused development time.

Kenna lounge area — The view of the "Marilyn Monroe Towers" from the Kenna lounge

03

Goals

Technical Growth

Build stronger confidence with full-stack web development, debugging, and contributing to existing production systems.

Communication

Practice asking clear questions, sharing progress, and communicating technical work with developers, QA, designers, and stakeholders.

Professional Confidence

Learn how a software team works day to day and become more comfortable taking ownership of assigned work.

04

Job Description

Job Summary

Web Application Developer Co-op

Hybrid

At Kenna, one of our core philosophies is Customer First Thinking. It's how we help our clients' turn customers into their biggest fans. That philosophy is echoed in the way we treat our employees. By putting people first, we attract some of the marketing industry's brightest minds, and we're proud of our sterling track record of hanging onto them. Join Kenna as a co-op student, and not only will you help build our clients' businesses - you'll grow your own potential. Whether your true calling is in Client Service, Creative, Data Solutions, Digital Design, Insights & Strategy, Finance, Application Development, IT Services or Social Media, you'll find it all under one roof at Kenna. So if you're looking to make a meaningful impact on one of these diverse teams, this could be a great opportunity for you. And us.

Description

Join a team of experienced web developers and explore web development in an environment built around creativity, collaboration, and innovation.

Career Development

Learn web development concepts, tools, and frameworks through hands-on training, mentorship, and professional development tailored to students.

Responsibilities

Develop new web solutions that follow industry standards and best practices.
Use analytical and problem-solving skills to work through technical challenges.
Share meaningful suggestions, feedback, and insights to support business goals.
Update, enhance, and maintain existing web solutions.

Required Skills

Strong programming background through coursework or relevant experience.
Understanding of object-oriented programming, data structures, and algorithms.
Foundational web language experience with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

Non-essential Skills

Node.js, React, jQuery, Kendo UI, and Materialize.
SQL, MySQL, REST or SOAP APIs, XML, JSON, and AJAX.
AWS tools, Git, GitHub, Bitbucket, and Jenkins.
Responsive design, CSS Grid, flexbox, transitions, animations, and media queries.

About You

Passionate about web development and motivated to keep learning.
Comfortable solving problems independently and as part of a team.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Open to sharing ideas and engaging with the team.

Benefits

The role offered a positive learning environment, team-building events, social events, company events, and a flexible hybrid model.

Mon Remote Tue Office Wed Office Thu Office Fri Remote

05

Conclusions

My Summer 2026 term at Kenna gave me a clearer picture of what professional software development looks like in practice. I gained experience reading existing code, contributing to shared systems, collaborating with teammates, and balancing technical growth with communication.

Most importantly, this placement helped me feel more confident stepping into a developer role. I left the term with stronger skills, better habits, and a deeper appreciation for the people behind good software.

06

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to my managers, mentors, teammates, and fellow co-op students at Kenna for creating such a welcoming and supportive environment. Thank you for your guidance, patience, feedback, and encouragement throughout the term.