Recently, the organization we represent — composed of business and post-secondary leaders from across the country — set a bold target: We believe that 100 per cent of Canada’s post-secondary students should have access to some form of work-integrated learning.
We know that a goal of 100 per cent is ambitious, but that’s why we founded the Business/Higher Education Roundtable — to bring industry leaders and post-secondary presidents together, and to champion ambitious solutions to Canada’s education and skills challenges. Getting to 100 per cent will take commitment from all sides — universities, colleges, polytechnics, big companies, small companies, governments and students themselves. We’re not expecting to reach our goal next month, or next year.
The benefits of work-integrated learning (WIL) are clear. The final report of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel, released last month, notes that WIL plays a valuable role in helping individuals hone their future career objectives. Greater collaboration between schools and workplaces will help new ideas flow between them; it’s students who often bridge these gaps. And at a time when the world is changing rapidly, WIL helps to ensure that we are providing students with the skills they need.
Here’s how we can start:
• Agree on what we mean by work-integrated learning
Work-integrated learning is a broad term for partnerships between schools and employers that combine classroom learning with practical experience. At its core, WIL uses “learning by doing” to reinforce the knowledge that students gain in the classroom, allowing them to dive into relevant problems in a professional setting.
This means more than pumping out more co-op programs and internships. What works for a biochemistry student at the University of Toronto may not work for a Northern First Nations Studies student at Yukon College.
In a highly competitive global economy, expanding work-integrated learning is a vital investment. The challenges of the 21st century are dizzyingly complex.A wide variety of WIL options — applied research projects, Dragons’ Den-style competitions, site visits, projects in collaboration with local non-profits, and the use of simulations — allow diverse programs and industries to develop the options that work best.
• Figure out how far we need to go, and what is already working
When you don’t know where you are, you can’t figure out where to go next. Clear, reliable data is critical to our success.
Currently, only a handful of provinces collect and share information on the number of students who experience some form of work-integrated learning. Much of the data that does exist focuses solely on co-ops. This lack of depth makes it difficult to know how many students participate in more diverse forms of WIL. It also makes it harder to compare provinces with one another, and to measure how Canada stacks up against our global competitors.
This is where schools, businesses and governments can collaborate. We need a common set of definitions and metrics to assess our performance, to ensure that we’re on the right track, and to learn what makes the best work-integrated learning programs truly valuable.
For now, we’re developing a series of targeted pilot projects in sectors such as financial services, where the speed of change makes partnerships between industry and post-secondary institutions critical to the training and success of future graduates. From these examples, and the successful programs that already exist, we can assemble a showcase of high-quality examples that schools and businesses can build upon and look to for inspiration.
• Bring everybody on board
Provincial leaders from Nova Scotia to British Columbia have pledged support for hands-on learning, and the 2016 federal budget allocated $73 million over four years to support WIL opportunities. We applaud these commitments. Governments at all levels play important roles collecting critical data, supporting quality post-secondary education systems and championing new partnerships.
We’re also building broader networks. Far too often, smaller organizations lack the resources to connect with the institutions within their communities. Through our pilot projects and other collaborations, we can generate networks that will allow smaller companies, start-ups, and not-for-profits to be a part of this new movement.
• Remember why
In the months to come, we know that we will face questions about our initiative. It will take time to work out the best funding structures, and to decide how best to measure performance — to name just two of the challenges ahead. But fundamentally we believe we’re on the right path.
In a highly competitive global economy, expanding work-integrated learning is a vital investment. The challenges of the 21st century are dizzyingly complex. We’re committing ourselves to improving opportunities for the next generation of Canadians, so they can create a better future — for themselves, and for all of us.
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