UNBC looks to expand its co-op programming

High demand for experiential learning is pushing UNBC to consider expanding its co-op programs.

“It actually meets a lot of demand across the country by employers,” says school president Daniel Weeks. “The Conference Board of Canada has done a survey looking at the extent to which work-integrated learning is such an important feature for the next generation of students. The time just seems right for us to take another look at this.”

The school’s expanding engineering program will feature mandatory co-op placements and co-ops are already part of business programs.

“If we’re going to bring some more online anyways, well, maybe we should do this on a much broader scale. So we’re looking at those initiatives right now and what it would take to bring co-op back on a much larger scale across the university.”

While remote placements will certainly be considered, Weeks says a focus on local options could be a good way keep students in the north after graduation.

“If we could work with local business, local industries across the region, having those kind of opportunities for our students really means that students will get a chance to see what it’s like to work, not only in the industries, but the community. Those are the kinds of things that will help those students make decisions about maybe remaining here and building a life in the north.”

Weeks says there’s no timeline yet for including co-op placements into other programs but school faculty and administrators are looking into the possibilities.