What is National Co-op & Work Integrated Learning Month?
Each year, CEWIL Canada (Co-operative Education and Work Integrated Learning) celebrates the successes and promotes awareness of co-op and work-integrated learning programs across Canada. As a member institution, Brock University’s Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) unit participates in this annual event to help promote the successes of our students, partnerships and programs.
More information about the CEWIL Canada can be found here.
Co-op & WIL Month Theme:
This year’s theme is #innovativeWIL; chosen to help students, partners, faculty and staff to reflect on and share stories, events, best practices, tools, and partner information as we build the capacity for co-op and work-integrated learning opportunities at Brock University. Throughout the month of March, we have planned several exciting virtual events, contests, and social media campaign to drive awareness of Brock’s Co-op and Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs and initiatives. In this particular year, we wish to recognize and celebrate how the Co-op & WIL ecosystem including student learners, partners, and the Brock community pivot and adapt to the changing environment by continuing to brainstorm and find creative ways to support quality experiential opportunities.
Upcoming Announcements during the month:
Joel Gritter
The co-op program has allowed me to develop myself as a person and build a professional network to set me up for success in the workforce. I achieved a high level of academic performance, and recognition on the Dean’s Honours List in all three years already completed. My experience in RBC Amplify in my last co-op term was the most challenging, but also the most rewarding experience of my life. Being able to get into such a competitive program, but then also to win in the program, was an incredible experience for which I am very grateful. This has allowed me to secure full-time work following graduation. I hope that my co-op and academic accomplishments can be leveraged to make Brock University–and Brock’s Co-op program in particular–even more widely recognized.
Syed Hashir Sher
Syed’s work ethic and commitment to the task during his co-op at Hydro One saw him receive a full time job offer as an Assistant Project Manager. This was the first time that a co-op student at Hydro One has been offered such an opportunity after only 4 months and speaks to the exceptional work that Syed produced. During his MBA program with the Goodman School of Business Syed has been actively involved with a number of curricular and extra-curricular activities that have raised the profile of co-op and CCEE within Brock University and he was the winner of Brock CCEE’s inaugural MBA Experiential Learning Competition in 2019.
Valerie Pagnotta
Valerie Pagnotta is a fourth year Medical Sciences student born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario. With a passion for science, community outreach, and helping others, Valerie is a dedicated student and is heavily involved in the Brock community. While maintaining a spot, each year, on the Dean’s Honour List, Valerie is additionally President of the Brock Health Sciences Council, a Medical Sciences Leader for the FAHS Mentorship Program; she provides tutoring and mentoring to second-year Biostatistics students and is a member of the Brock varsity squash team. Valerie has held two on-campus jobs including Smart Start Team Assistant (two years) and Booster Juice Team Member (BUSU Union Station, one year). Valerie has completed three Work-Integrated Learning courses (applied research project, internship, service-learning) and is currently completing her Honours Thesis in Health Sciences. Valerie plans to pursue graduate studies at Brock University upon completion of her undergraduate degree.
Events & Programming
On-Campus Jobs Fair:
Co-op, Career & Experiential Education is hosting an On-Campus Jobs Fair on Thursday, March 4th from 10AM-1PM. The event will offer current Brock students the opportunity to meet and network with representatives from a wide range of campus departments in a virtual expo style event to explore summer job opportunities and part-time positions for the Fall/Winter 2021-22.
The event will begin with an On-Campus Employer panel that will provide students with information on where to find on-campus jobs, recruitment timelines and expectations and tips on how to prepare applications for employment. Additionally, student will have the opportunity to network with other student who are currently employed in an on-campus job. This is a great way for students to learn about different opportunities, what it’s like to work at Brock, and how on-campus jobs can help build core skills for future employment.
Another exciting feature of this event is an information session hosted by the Brock University Volunteer Association (BUVA) and the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games. The session will help educate students on how they can get involved on-campus and in the community, and BUVA can help students prepare for volunteer opportunities with the upcoming games. A session not to be missed!
National Day of WIL – March 24th:
March 24th will also mark the first-ever National Day of WIL. Across Canada, CEWIL members and supporters will be encouraged to share their own stories and experiences of work-integrated learning using the hashtag #innovativeWIL.
Date: Monday, March 15th
Time: 12-1pm
TalentEgg has partnered with CareerZone to help students get noticed by top Canadian employers in an innovative new way. Attend TalentEgg’s virtual workshop to learn the value video can bring to your job applications, and record a video introduction on talentegg.ca/candidate-showcase so employers can find and connect with you directly.
Utilize the resources and job search strategies on topics such as:
- Finding remote work
- Summer Job Searching
- On-Campus Jobs Fair Prep
- LinkedIn Profile Polish-up
- Virtual Networking
Date: March 3, 2021
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 PM (EST)
Venue: Virtual
GAIN INSIGHT INTO:
- Career paths/options
- Industry trends
- Strategies for securing a job
EVENT FORMAT:
Join Goodman Career as industry experts share a bit about their own career journey and experiences within the world of Marketing and Sales. This moderated session will include an opportunity to ask questions about their experience, advice for students making career decisions, and provide you with the ability to practice your networking skills.
Date: March 9, 2021
Time: 5:00 – 6:45 PM (EST)
Venue: Virtual
EVENT FORMAT:
Join Career Education as industry experts share a bit about their own career journey and experiences within the world of Child and Youth Studies. This moderated session will include an opportunity to ask questions about their experience, advice for students making career decisions, and provide you with the ability to practice your networking skills.
PANELISTS:
- McMaster Childrens’ Hospital
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara Region
- Niagara Children’s Centre
- CHYS Graduate Students
| Event | Date/Time |
| Co-op 0N90 Networking simulation events | March 15th and 16th from 5 - 7pm |
| Year 1 Co-op student programming: Activating your strengths | March 18th, 23rd |
| 1st Year Co-op Transfer Recruitment Information Sessions | March 25th, 1:30 - 2:30pm |
| Co-op Employer Panel 0N90 event (Computer Science co-op students) | March 29th |
| Co-op Employer Panel 0N90 event (Accounting co-op students) | March 30th |
| Event | Date/Time |
| Cover letter workshops | March 4th, 11th, 17th, 25th |
| Interview strategies Workshops | March 8th, March 16th |
| Write a Resume from Scratch | March 24th, 25th |
FOLLOW, LIKE, and SHARE our CCEE social media handles for CEWIL Month Events:
