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Stewart Kallio – Canadian apprenticeship completions lag far behind registrations

Guest blogger: Stewart Kallio Voices from HEQCO’s November 2014 conference Hands On: Exploring Apprenticeship and the Skilled Trades Work in the trades provides good, well-paying jobs, yet young Canadians do not see the skilled trades as a viable career. Often, they enter an apprenticeship path later in their work career. In Ontario, for example, the […]

What is an internship An inventory and analysis of internship opportunities available to Ontario postsecondary students

Ontario postsecondary internship programs should emphasize educational quality There is significant variation in the structure of internship programs offered in Ontario’s colleges and universities – from length of program to requirements for completion. But a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQCO) also finds that when viewed through the lens of experiential learning […]

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Anthony Mann – Closing the gap between education and employment

Voices from HEQCO’s November 2014 conference Hands On: Exploring Apprenticeship and the Skilled Trades   Guest blogger: Anthony Mann If employer engagement in education were a snappier hashtag, it would be trending. Across the world, governments, institutions and organizations are asking themselves how can they close the gap between the worlds of education and employment, […]

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Ryan Whibbs – Time for a “mash up” of industry-relevant skills, theoretical training

  Guest blogger: Ryan Whibbs A fascinating discussion recently took place on CBC Radio’s The Current. Anna Maria Tremonti hosted Don Tapscott, Chancellor of Trent University; Sarah Watts-Rynard, Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum; and David Ticoll, Special Advisor to the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow’s ICT Skills,  for a discussion  on “the debate between […]

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Sarah Watts-Rynard – Building the next generation of tradespeople

Voices from HEQCO’s November 2014 conference Hands On: Exploring Apprenticeship and the Skilled Trades   Guest blogger: Sarah Watts-Rynard Despite some debate about whether or not Canada is experiencing a skills shortage – economists say no, employers say yes – the reality is that a generation of expert tradespeople is moving toward retirement age.  Their […]

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Online Program to Help Co-op Students Enhance their Employability Skills

Employability skills enhanced in University of Waterloo professional development courses Co-op students at the University of Waterloo who take online professional development courses to enhance their employability skills are generally positive about the value and relevance of the courses, according to a new study from the Higher Education Quality Council (HEQCO). And based on employer […]

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On our Radar – A HEQCO intern reflects on (her) internships

On Our Radar features HEQCO staff and guest bloggers offering their unique perspectives on trends, new ideas, and hot-button issues in higher education. The opinions are those of the authors. My fellow interns: if you haven’t noticed already, we’ve become media darlings as of late (who says twenty-something CEOs get all the fun?). Unpaid working […]

The University of Waterloo and Work-Integrated Learning: Three Perspectives

Research Summary: Waterloo Students Benefit Academically and Professionally from Co-op Involvement The University of Waterloo operates the largest postsecondary co-op program of its kind in the world, and a new report from Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) finds that Waterloo co-op graduates feel they benefit academically and professionally and are more satisfied than […]

Work-Integrated Learning in Ontario’s Postsecondary Sector The Experience of Ontario Graduates

Research Summary: Student survey says postsecondary co-op, internships improve employability skills Internships, field placements, co-op and other forms of postsecondary work-integrated learning (WIL) help Ontario college and university students gain practical work experience, enhance their résumés, improve employability skills and determine their fit with a potential career, according to a new study from the Higher […]