Junior Technical Writer
TTC’s Curriculum and Development team (Jan 2018 – June 2019)
I obtained the first work-term position I applied to in my Technical Communications program. I was one of the first students in my class to secure a placement.
It was a privilege meeting various specialists, testing out devices, and getting a behind the scenes peak at the inner workings of the Toronto Transit Commission. I valued the special experiences I had walking at track level and learning about the work that takes place in the maintenance shops at Hillcrest and Leslie Barns. Not everyone has a chance to see the “guts” (yes, that’s what they’re commonly referred to on the shop floor) of the public transit vehicles they rely on daily, nor walk beneath them up on hoists!
Of course, I also gained a wealth of valuable technical communication experience working in the TTC’s Training Department.
Content I created or contributed to
Training Clerk Procedures manual
Created a 100-page booklet from the ground up for the Training Clerk team and their Manager, working with information derived from shadowing and interviewing four clerks and testing procedures. Offered recommendations for improved processes.
PRESTO FAQs booklet
Performed a major overhaul of the PRESTO FAQs booklet, which is used as a training resource and job aid for station employees assisting customers. Reorganized, updated and added new content.
PRESTO Fare Gate LDC lesson plan
Developed a lesson plan based on a Senior Instructor’s notes and expertise. The lesson plan was developed for training station supervisors on how to use the device that controls the PRESTO fare gates and associated emergency evacuation procedures.
PRESTO Fare Gate LDC job aids
Identified inconsistencies and updated existing job aids for supervisors and trainees.
Written licence tests
Worked with a Senior Bus Instructor, Senior Curriculum Specialist, and the Manager of Bus Transportation Training to adapt official written licence test content to create two tests to be used in multiple TTC bus and truck operator training programs. Used conditional text to create two versions of each test (instructor and trainee copies).
Wheel-Trans 28/30-Day Training Program Daily Progress Reports
Worked with a Senior Curriculum Specialist and a team of Wheel-Trans instructors to improve 100 pages of checklists for evaluating employees during practical training to be Wheel-Trans operators. I also transferred the content to FrameMaker and transformed topics into learning objectives.
Practical and Technical Tasks
- Evaluated, compared, analyzed, and updated content.
- Performed substantive and copy editing tasks — formatting, organizing, and adapting content for use in InDesign and FrameMaker templates.
- Worked with graphics in Illustrator and PowerPoint.
- Created and improved content through writing and rewriting.
- Learned InDesign independently and worked with various templates and FrameMaker book files.
- Provided management with assumptions and limitations (outstanding issues, information subject to change in the near future, etc.).
- Proposed recommendations (related to approaches, logistics, process improvements and how to implement them) to management.
Organizational Tasks
- Exercised persistence through detail-oriented and methodical approaches.
- Gathered information to convey context and produce clear, complete and accurate documentation.
- Managed priorities and deadlines, providing status updates regularly.
- Managed challenges and self independently and efficiently in a new and unique environment.
- Arranged meetings and followups with SMEs and management.
- Facilitated understanding — explained the technical communicator’s perspective and purpose and the benefits of establishing and documenting procedures when met with resistance.
Feedback
- Commended for relevant questions and strong interviewing skills.
- Informed that collaborators delivered positive feedback on me and my work to management.
- Diligence recognized by department, which attempted to find a way to extend my contract.
LISA SOOKRAJ 