Almost half of Ontario’s postsecondary students take part in a co-op, internship, field placement or some other form of experiential learning by the time they graduate. The Ontario Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel has recommended that all postsecondary students have at least one work-integrated learning opportunity before they complete their studies to better prepare them for the demands of today’s changing workforce and ensure their labour market success.
Are institutions ready for the challenge? And will students have access to meaningful experiential learning opportunities? HEQCO’s research work in this area has produced reports shedding light on the views of faculty, employers and students about work-integrated learning; a survey exploring the employment outcomes of graduates with work-integrated learning experience; a typology of what work-integrated learning encompasses that has been adopted by the Ontario government; a handbook for practitioners; and a report on the legal implications of providing experiential learning opportunities for employers and institutions.
HEQCO will continue to work with Ontario colleges and universities to identify the barriers and challenges students face in accessing work-integrated learning opportunities, find ways of ensuring that all students have access to meaningful work-integrated learning experiences, and determine whether these efforts are resulting in the desired workplace skills.
HEQCO’s key WIL reports
Inclusion in Work-integrated Learning: Lessons from Administrators, Employers and Students was written by Ken Chatoor & Amy Kaufman, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Study reveals the importance of inclusivity to work-integrated learning experiences and where improvements can be made Work-integrated learning (WIL) provides many benefits for postsecondary education (PSE) students including improved labour market […]
Student Identity and Work-integrated Learning (WIL): Exploring Student Experiences of WIL by Demographic was written by Ken Chatoor & Lena Balata, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. System-wide data collection is needed to improve the work-integrated learning experience for students from underrepresented groups Work-integrated learning (WIL) is playing an increasing role in preparing students with […]
Working (and Learning) Online: Improving Remote Work-integrated Learning Experiences for Students and Employers was written by Ken Chatoor, Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Participating remotely in work-integrated learning offers flexibility, but professional development challenges need to be addressed. Work-integrated learning (WIL) blends formal education with practical learning in a relevant workplace setting. There are […]
Legal confusion presents challenges for expanding work-integrated learning opportunities As experiential education and work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities expand across Ontario and the rest of Canada, a new paper by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) cautions that a lack of clarity on a number of WIL legal issues is becoming increasingly challenging for […]
New guide helps practitioners enhance the quality of work-integrated learning opportunities Work-integrated learning (WIL) is becoming increasingly popular in higher education; almost half of Ontario’s postsecondary education students will take part in some form of co-op, placement or internship by the time they graduate. A new guide from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario […]
Research Summary Postsecondary work/learn programs align student skills with changing labour market Whether it is co-operative education, apprenticeships, service-learning placements or internships, work-integrated learning (WIL) can help Ontario colleges and universities respond to rapid change in the Ontario labour market. A recent Ipsos Reid survey found that almost a quarter of Ontarians with some postsecondary […]