OTTAWA - The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is pleased to announce a new work-integrated learning (WIL) partnership request for proposals, Building Talent Pathways: Advancing Innovation in WIL Talent Pipelines supported by the Government of Canada.
BHER is looking for partners to advance novel WIL-based solutions that help Canadian firms access and develop talent. We are looking for partners and programs committed to achieving impact in one or more of the following areas:
- Engaging new employers in Canada’s WIL ecosystem;
- Increasing small and medium-sized employers’ (SME) participation in WIL;
- Building an entrepreneurial workforce; and
- Attracting new sources of talent to priority sectors.
Innovative WIL types, such as consulting internships, industry projects, and entrepreneurial WIL, offer more flexible, financially accessible opportunities for SMEs to participate in WIL, while creating new and exciting opportunities for students.
“We’re proud to support new partnerships that create opportunities for employers, especially SMEs, to improve their talent pipelines,” said Val Walker, CEO, BHER. “We know the nature of work is changing, which means WIL needs to change too. We’re excited to be leading the charge to identify meaningful new WIL types that create value for employers and students alike.”
“We’re excited to collaborate with organizations from across Canada to ensure all employers can experience the multiple benefits of WIL. If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship and helping small and medium sized enterprises access the talent they need to grow, we’re keen to hear from you,” said Andrew Bieler, Director of Partnerships & Experiential Learning, BHER.
Applicants can submit proposals for WIL programs up to a maximum of $500,000.
Interested organizations are encouraged to visit bher.ca/rfp to find detailed instructions for submitting a proposal. The deadline for applications is August 4, 2023.
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Contact:
Nina Lewis
@email
About the Business + Higher Education Roundtable:
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. Since 2015, BHER has worked to harness the strengths of Canada’s business and post-secondary education sectors to build opportunities for young Canadians, boost innovation and drive collaboration. Learn more at www.bher.ca
Visit our WIL Hub for ways to explore, invest in and create quality WIL opportunities.
Background:
In Budget 2022, the Government of Canada renewed BHER’s funding with a new investment of $17.1 million over three years to create and scale more work-integrated learning opportunities for post-secondary students and to strengthen the WIL ecosystem. The investment builds on BHER’s success in 2019-2022 during which BHER created nearly 40,000 WIL opportunities through 42 partnerships, with support from a network of over 150 employers and post-secondary institutions across Canada.