Employers
What's in it for you?
Today's employers need talent with practical experience and future-relevant skills. Establishing Work-Integrated Learning opportunities in your workplace will bring you a variety of advantages. From a fresh pair of eyes, to different skill sets and direct access into top talent pipelines, you'll connect with students bringing diverse experiences and knowledge to your organization.
One big difference between co-op and work experience is the relationship between the employer and the school. Co-op programs are usually structured more formally, and allow for more feedback between a business and a university or college. This can allow for a longer term relationship, in which employers’ feedback about student performance can be incorporated into the curriculum. Co-op programs, including accredited programs, also provide a roadmap for employers on how to build WIL into their organizations, have structured feedback and assessment, and clear guidelines for hiring.
The reality is, however, that not all post-secondary schools have co-op or internship programs. Work Experience is a form of WIL that fills these gaps. In this case, employers trade the benefit of more flexibility (timelines; student assessment; start and end dates) with the challenge of not having as much support or a roadmap for how to implement WIL in their organization.
With some schools calling their programs “co-ops” and others calling their programs “internships”, spotting the difference can be hard..
Generally, the major difference between most co-op and internships programs is that co-ops usually consist of alternating academic programs and paid work terms. Throughout the course of their time in school, a student might take three or more co-op placements at different companies or organizations, with the expectations for the student rising at each subsequent placement.
Internships are usually a “one-and-done” model, with a student doing one internship during their time in school. An internship might last 12 to 16 months, during which they become more comfortable with the work and take on more responsibilities.
That being said, there are a few co-op programs that function more like internships: students take multiple work terms back-to-back with the same organization. In Canada, a not-for-profit organization, Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) accredits co-op programs that meet their criteria.
Students with disabilities can be just as or more qualified for a specific position than any other students. While disabilities can take many different forms on a wide spectrum, on average there are no additional costs in taking on a student with a disability. Of 2000 employers surveyed that employed people with disability, 57% had no additional cost, and another 37% had a one time cost of under $500 (Job Accommodation Network).
In general, people with disabilities have higher retention rates. In Canada, across all industries the turnover rate is 49%. For people with intellectual disability or on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, the turnover rate is 7%.
Refer to our Diversity and Inclusion FAQ page to learn how to accommodate and make your workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities.
To make the interview process accessible, make sure to adopt and promote inclusive language in all materials including the job description. Include a statement of your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the job description. You can also make the job description available in alternate formats like large print. Before the interview, ask all applicants if they require an accommodation for the interview or for any assessment tests you will be giving as part of the application process. It is important to also give the applicant the format of the interview. During the interview, fulfill any necessary accommodations and ask the interview questions in simple language.
The recommendation for most WIL placements is to evaluate students at least twice: once at about the midpoint of their experience to help provide feedback and room for improvement, and once at the end of the experience for an overall assessment. For very short WIL experiences, such as field experiences, the midpoint evaluation could be less formal.
This final evaluation is critically important for students who are being evaluated by their institution for course credit.
Some FAQs at a glance
There are many different types of Work Integrated Learning opportunities. Work placements span a range of sectors and types — from co-op placements with alternating academic terms and paid work terms, to apprenticeships to applied research projects — and more. There are also emerging types of WIL, including bootcamps and “micro” or very short-term placements. All placements must provide value to both the employer and the student. The work must be meaningful and mutually beneficial. Work placements should reflect the student’s field of study and provide ample opportunity to apply and develop relevant skills. To find the type of WIL best suited for your organization’s needs, see Types of WIL.
Depending on the discipline, students can do a variety of tasks. Students learn skills, software and tools that may be used in your organization, and they’re looking for real world experience in which they can apply those skills. Students can be hired for varied lengths of time from a couple weeks to 18 months. Depending on the length of time spent at your organization, they can work on short or longer term projects, solve new or existing problems, and fill labour gaps as needed. To find the length and time commitment your organization can demand from students, see Types of WIL.
Work-integrated learning is a win for employers and for students. Work-integrated learning (WIL) placements offer a number of important benefits for employers. Employers acquire new knowledge and access to skilled talent. Quality WIL opportunities also drive innovation, enhance productivity, and help companies to compete in a changing economy. Students benefit from practical work experience, skill development, enhanced learning, and developing insights about future career paths. For more information, see Benefits of WIL.
For specific examples of skills and tasks students can do, see University of Alberta’s Common Work Term Tasks for Civil Engineering, and Université de Moncton’s 1-pagers on competencies for different co-op programs.
Employers can support meaningful, quality learning experiences by following some key principles. The following is a brief overview of the roles and responsibilities of employers.
- Offer a work integrated learning placement that relates to the position posted and the student’s field of study
- Provide accurate and detailed information on job responsibilities, compensation and benefits
- Make onboarding the student a priority
- Set clear learning goals, expectations and structure
- Provide ongoing supervision, feedback and mentorship at regular intervals
- Monitor progress, and provide formal/informal feedback to the post secondary institution.
- Treat the student as an employee and member of the team
- Provide the student with relevant training and development opportunities
- Communicate “unwritten rules” and expectations; for example dress code, work space etiquette, communication in meetings, use of personal devices
As an employer, you are expected to also pay students fair wages. Student salaries depend on the type of work assignment, location, sector and the student’s experience. Compensation should be clearly communicated from the start and recognize the impact student placements have on lowering your overall compensation costs and the value they bring to productivity and innovation. Salaries should be paid in accordance with the Employee Standards Act in your province. Your organization may be eligible for tax credits or funding depending on your province.
More information about the responsibilities of an employer can be found on Western’s Internship Program Employer Responsibilities, and UMBC’s Employer Responsibilities: Internships. For more information on suggested salary guidelines by discipline see University of Concordia’s Salary Guidelines.
Diversity and inclusion is good for people and good for business. Employers are increasingly recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion in recruiting and retaining the skills and talent they need to thrive in a changing economy. A diverse workforce can help drive innovation, improve market share, and increase access to talent. People want to work for organizations that demonstrate excellent employment practices.
Learn more about the case for diversity from the Government of Canada’s Case for Diversity.
We recommended reaching out to a campus career centre, co-op office or equivalent before hiring a student. These centres have significant resources to make the process easier, including:
- Frameworks for how to assess your students,
- Information on grants and wage subsidy programs your business may be eligible for,
- Hiring and onboarding material designed for students,
- Tips for building a WIL program that works best for your organization.
Building a stronger relationship with colleges and universities can have long-term benefits for companies. You can give feedback on the strengths (and areas of improvement) for different programs to make sure that students have the right skills for a changing work environment. We do recognize, however, that sometimes the hiring timelines for employers and for schools don’t match up. When this is the case, we hope that the materials we’ve developed can help fill in these gaps so that both your organization and students can have a meaningful work experience.
Co-op and internship recruitment cycles typically begin 4-8 months before a placement starts, which is when students are thinking about their next term and must sort out where to live if they need to move cities. For example, if an employer wants a student to begin working in May, they should begin advertising the position in February at the latest - especially for employers that don’t live in areas with university or college campuses. Some schools have highly structured recruitment processes for their WIL programs, so be sure to confirm with a school if you intend to hire from a particular program.
