UNB Alumni
Telling our #ProudlyUNB stories

For fall 2022 grad Niomi Monteiro (BBA’22), volunteer opportunities, experiential learning and co-op education were the highlights of her student experience - and they landed her a job with J.D. Irving Ltd. before even crossing the graduation stage.

On top of her already-busy schedule of six to seven courses per semester, Monteiro took three co-op work terms throughout her UNB degree. Two of these were with J.D. Irving Ltd. on their Payroll Compliance team, where she now works full-time as a Payroll Compliance Associate.

“I joined co-op to get networking experience while I was studying, so it would make it easier stepping out into the real world,” says Monteiro. “I was always really happy to be able to do something new while studying.”

Monteiro says it was using automation software, like Alteryx and Tableau, that excited her most about her co-op experience. She says her technical skills improved significantly during her work terms and were the main reason she came back to JDI and to the Payroll Compliance team to work.

“It was so valuable to meet new people who have that automation background to get their help, ask questions, and learn from their experience. Being a full-time student with at least six courses per semester you really need to know how to manage time, to be organized, and to communicate with others.”

It is no surprise that a fellow UNB Saint John alum, Trish Hoyt (BBA’00), Payroll Auditing and Compliance Manager, advocated for Monteiro to join their team full-time after seeing firsthand the strong work ethic and wide range of skills Monteiro brought to her co-op positions. Monteiro was offered the job while still completing her work term and before the end of her UNB degree.

"The variety of work she experienced during her terms, and her exposure to new tools and technology, resulted in her being a good fit for the full-time role in Payroll Compliance," says Hoyt. "Niomi was able to apply knowledge learned in the classroom to a real-world business setting."

Now in her full-time position with the Payroll Compliance office, Monteiro is responsible for auditing JDI's payroll processes, ensuring all proper controls are in place, among other assignments. In terms of automation, she also works to better company processes by reducing lead times.

Monteiro says jumping on every opportunity to volunteer and get involved in student activities has helped to improve her soft skills and apply them in her professional life. As an international student from Mumbai, India, she was drawn to the tight-knit community, the small campus and the number of volunteer opportunities available to her as a student on UNB’s Saint John campus.

Throughout her three years at UNB, Monteiro volunteered as a mentor with the Promise Partnership and as a tutor with the help centre, served as co-chair of the student services director’s advisory group, as international representative on residence council, and as the international student councillor on the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). She also served as a senior co-op event panelist, where she shared her co-op experiences and advice with new co-op students to help prepare them for their work terms.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity I got through UNB's co-op program to get to this point in my life. I’m so proud of myself for showing that I am good enough to be part of JDI full-time and to be part of a company that does so much for the province.”