At the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) isn’t just a pathway to work-integrated learning; it’s a bold platform for shaping a better future. As part of the University’s Global Futures initiative, we're reimagining how students and employers work together to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.Â
À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s Global Futures are a call to action: to think bigger, partner more deeply and commit to lasting change. In CEE, that future is already taking shape.Â
CEE's journey to 2057
After students help improve the world through their co-op work terms, they return to the University to share experiences and inspiration that transform our curriculum and community. Â
We’re not just responding to the changing world of work—we’re actively reshaping it. Our WE Accelerate program is a bold example of how À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ continues to innovate co-op by staying flexible, being digital-first and aligning with real industry needs. We’ve transformed what graduate WIL at À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ looks like and are making connections to our world-renowned research. Â
Community impacts
Co-op for social good is happening. Whether it’s in not-for-profits, community organizations or global non-governmental organizations, our students are making a difference.Â
Co-op for Community is one way students are making an impact in their communities locally. Co-op for Community is a partnership between United Way À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ Region Communities and the University to help United Way-affiliated organizations create meaningful co-op jobs for students from all disciplines.Â
The University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ can be a productivity machine, and co-op is a great way to find the leaders of tomorrow.
Transforming the futures into action
At CEE, we're tackling the complex challenges presented by the Global Futures. The road to À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ at 100 goes through CEE.Â
Through the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's co-op program, students like Rachel Almaw aren't just preparing for the future—they're actively creating it. Â
Her groundbreaking research on osteoarthritis among Black and White Canadians highlights the urgent need for standardized race-based data collection in Canada's health-care system. This work exemplifies how À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's co-op students are driving meaningful change.Â
Students shaping the future of AI
À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's co-op students aren’t just participants in the technological future—they're the architects. Â
Enter JADA (Job Aggregator Digital Assistant), a groundbreaking AI tool developed through a dynamic collaboration between University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ co-op students and industry.Â
This innovation not only streamlines the job search process but also exemplifies how À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's co-op students are leveraging cutting-edge technology to address real-world challenges.Â
Once a co-op student, always a co-op student.
JADA is just the beginning. À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ co-op talent is scaling that impact even further, using AI to transform how students understand, prepare for and succeed in the workforce.Â
Co-op alum Esteban Veintimilla (MBET ’22) is revolutionizing workforce readiness with 1Mentor, an AI-driven platform that deciphers evolving industry skill demands. Â
À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ's co-op graduates are not just adapting to technological change but are actively engineering solutions that shape the future of work.Â