KELOWNA – A trio of universities are working together to help employers connect with students through co-operative education and work-integrated learning pathways throughout northern and interior BC.
The University of British Columbia Okanagan in Kelowna, Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops and Williams Lake, and the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, Quesnel, Terrace, and Fort St. John, with an affiliate campus in Gitwinksihlkw, are collaborating on a project titled INWIL – the Interior and Northern Work Integrated Learning Initiative. It offers small and medium sized businesses resources and tools to connect with students from the three institutions for workforce opportunities.
As a result of industry and employer engagement sessions, and a recent survey exploring the barriers and challenges to engaging with student talent, INWIL launched a resource hub to support SMEs in addressing these barriers and streamline the process of hiring and engaging post-secondary students.
The project team is hosting several events to familiarize companies with the benefits of work-integrated learning (WIL), offering resources and tips for hiring students, and the opportunity to learn about the many financial supports available to help subsidize wages for student hires.
“A consistent topic that emerged during industry consultations was the labour shortage,” observes Dawn Sheldon, Marketing & Engagement Project Coordinator at UBCO. “What we now understand is that there is an opportunity to bring awareness of work-integrated learning programs to our local small and medium-sized organizations, as programs such as co-op are often underutilized by community partners in this demographic.
“These programs offer a way for students to gain mentorship and experience to support their post-graduation career goals, while also collaborating with organizations to work on projects or solve problems to reach their goals and objectives.”
Mindy Gobbi, Co-op Education Marketing and Engagement Project Coordinator at UNBC, notes that the shared knowledge, resources and co-creation of the project by the three universities has been very worthwhile.
“The collaboration of the three institutions has been seen as a very beneficial to all, as well as the communities where we are situated,” she states. “One of the most important aspects of work-integrated learning is that it’s a reciprocal relationship between students, our communities, and the post-secondary institutions. Work-integrated learning is centered around experiential learning for students, and benefits our communities at the same time.”
Jessi Guercio, Employer Liaison Coordinator at TRU adds: “There is no better time than now for organizations to leverage the capabilities a student can bring to their organization. We understand it has been a hard year for everyone, but that is why we find it so valuable to share this information about funding, resources, and access to student talent to our community partners through the INWIL Resource Hub. Helping employers engage with skilled student talent helps support the changing needs of small and medium sized organizations.”
WIL integrates student academic studies within the workplace. Experiences include the partnership between the university, the student and the host organization – either a business or a place of community service. For businesses, it allows for an introduction to prospective long-term employees by having them work for the company as part of their educational experience.
The three universities are already cooperating on a partnership called the Interior Universities Research Coalition (IURC), where they work together on research, innovation talent, and infrastructure within the province.
For more information on the program and funding opportunities, visit the INWIL website. To join any one of their upcoming free educational events, click to view the events schedule and register.