Working with post-secondary students can be a great source of creative ideas, expertise, and temporary resources for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. We know that it can be difficult for organizations to connect with students, but the resources on this page will help you to get started or to continue your journey of working with post-secondary students.
Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an umbrella term describing the process of learning where students incorporate what they have learned academically into an experience working with an industry partner. Explore below to learn more about the types of WIL and find out what works for your business.
Businesses and organizations can work with post-secondary students through work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities in a variety of low or no-cost ways. Please see the resources below for more information.
We recommend connecting with post-secondary school representatives as early as possible. Post-secondary schools tend to recruit employers and industry partners approximately a semester in advance. Reaching out early will give your business greater flexibility and better access to the opportunities that run each semester.
For example, if a business would like to work with a student during the Winter semester (January to April), reaching out during the Fall Semester (September-December) would be a great idea.
* BHER – Business + Higher Education Roundtable
* CEWIL – Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada
There are funding options through the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) and tax credits available to employers to help ease the cost of working with post-secondary students. Learn more about SWPP and the different funding opportunities available below.
Note that there are also a variety of unpaid work-integrated learning opportunities for businesses to engage with students such as Applied Research Projects and Field Placements. More information about the types of work-integrated learning options available can be found in the Working with Students 101 section.
| Resource Title | Resource Type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) | Web Page | University of Waterloo |
| WIL Financial Supports Catalogue | BHER | |
| Canada Summer Jobs | Web Page | Government of Canada |
| Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) | Web Page | Government of Canada |
| Co-operative Education Tax Credit | Web Page | Government of Ontario |
| Funding Opportunities For Businesses Who Want to Hire Students Webinar | Webinar | Access Student Talent |
| Funding Opportunities For Businesses Who Want to Hire Students | Blog Post | Access Student Talent |
| Interactive ROI Calendar | Web Page | BHER |
| Apprentice & Journeyperson Incentives | Web Page | Conestoga College |
* BHER – Business + Higher Education Roundtable
* CEWIL – Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada
Work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities provide a wealth of benefits to businesses, students, and educators. Read below to explore the benefits of WIL.
| Resource Title | Resource Type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employer WIL Benefits | Web Page | BHER |
| Benefits of WIL for Students, Educators and Employers | Web Page | BHER |
| Benefits of Businesses Working with Students | Blog Post | Access Student Talent |
| Why The Chamber is Passionate About Work-Integrated Learning | Blog Post | Access Student Talent |
| Benefits of Taking on an Apprentice | Video | CEWIL |
| Benefits of Engaging with Internship Students | Video | CEWIL |
| Benefits of Work Experience | Video | CEWIL |
| How can WIL help me build a talent pipeline? | Web Page | University of Waterloo |
* BHER – Business + Higher Education Roundtable
* CEWIL – Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada
Are you interested in how other businesses have benefited from working with post-secondary students? Below you will find feedback from local businesses and not-for-profit organizations about how students have supported them. In addition, you can also read success stories from businesses across Canada that have worked with students.
| Resource Title | Resource Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Hear from Local Small Businesses | Web Page | Access Student Talent |
| How Students Can Help: A Discussion with Small Businesses | Webinar | Access Student Talent |
| Building a Better Workforce Through Connecting Students and Business | Webinar | Access Student Talent |
| Canadian Success Stories | Interactive Web Page | BHER |
* BHER – Business + Higher Education Roundtable
* CEWIL – Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada
There are many options that businesses have for working with students from our local partner schools, Conestoga College, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the University of Waterloo. Depending on your business needs, there are different opportunities that are available for businesses to connect with post-secondary students including marketing and social media, office administration, business development opportunities, and more. Contact a post-secondary school representative today to learn which opportunity is right for you!
