Shaping the future of WIL: Certified programs designed to empower educators and WIL practitioners
By Micaela Kelly (she/her)
The University of ݮƵ’s Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) unit is a global leader in Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and the first Canadian university to offer a certified WIL curriculum.
Work-integrated learning (WIL) helps students to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences where they solve practical problems and learn critical job skills. It also gives industry participants access to students with fresh ideas and solutions.
For higher education institutions (HEIs), through improved graduate employability, and increases student satisfaction through workplace contributions and skills development.
However, the complexity of WIL can make it challenging for HEIs and WIL practitioners to implement, scale and enhance their own WIL programs effectively.
A global leader in WIL, the University of ݮƵ’s Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) unit is well-positioned to help leaders and practitioners overcome those challenges.
CEE now offers its knowledge and experience through two accredited WIL programs: the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL and the WIL Fundamentals Workshop Series. These innovative programs help institutions and WIL leaders and practitioners to understand and adopt best practices for implementing, enhancing and scaling their WIL programs.
Participants of ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL, 2023
ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL
The University of ݮƵ is home to the Secretariat of the , an international professional organization dedicated to developing, expanding, branding and advocating for co-op and work-integrated education programs within industry and educational institutions.
A global visionary in WIL, Dr. Norah McRae is the Associate Provost of CEE and head of the WACE secretariat. She established the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders WIL to leverage ݮƵ’s expertise and experience in leading high-quality WIL initiatives.
Dr. McRae launched the professional development offering at the 2023 WACE global conference in ݮƵ. Participants provided feedback in a survey indicating the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL provided “timely topics, lots of key takeaways and excellent discussion and networking.”
The ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL is accredited by the University of ݮƵ and offered by Dr. McRae and WACE. The institute covers a suite of topics relevant to WIL leaders and emerging leaders, including the WIL leadership framework, quality strategic partnerships, research and data, innovation and more. It combines delivered content and small group discussions to help participants explore specific interests, learn from each other and build a global leadership community.
The institute is an important opportunity for established and emerging WIL professionals to explore leadership, current practices and challenges in the context of quality WIL. In addition to walking away with innovative and applicable strategies, participants receive a certificate from the University of ݮƵ and WACE.
WACE is holding the in the days leading up to the in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Dr. Norah McRae facilitating the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL at the 2023 WACE global conference in ݮƵ.
WIL Fundamentals Workshop Series
As part of ݮƵ’s CEE unit, the Work-Learn Institute (WxL) leverages research and experience to develop impactful tools and strategies for building strong WIL programs.
Through its consulting practice and research, the WxL team heard from WIL practitioners and HEIs about the challenges they face with the complexities of launching, scaling and developing effective WIL programs. To help address this challenge, WxL utilized its research, experience and expertise to develop and launch the WIL Fundamentals Workshop Series.
The WIL Fundamentals Workshop Series is an alternative credit designed for participants who are launching or refining WIL programs. It is a series of 10 workshops to provide participants with an understanding of the quality aspects of WIL. Facilitators guide participants through each of the key concepts related to various types of WIL programming.
By empowering practitioners and leaders, we’re shaping a future where WIL programs are not only effective, they’re also transformative for students, employers and higher education.
Anne Marie Fannon shares strategies and tips about quality WIL at the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL.
First Canadian university to offer a certified WIL curriculum
Since the University’s founding, CEE has been a leader in co-operative education. Along with WxL, it has now also achieved a significant milestone in WIL education and global leadership.
The University of ݮƵ’s recent recognition of both the ݮƵ Institute for Leaders in WIL and the WIL Fundamental Workshop Series as alternative credentials makes ݮƵ the first Canadian university to offer a certified WIL curriculum.
The goal of both programs is to build stronger WIL communities and help organizations adapt their WIL curriculum to the changing needs of the workforce. These new certified programs offer a new way to share CEE and the WxL’s leading-edge research and experience with educators and WIL practitioners globally.
The WxL and CEE teams have created widely recognized WIL frameworks, including the AAA* Framework and the Future-Ready Talent Framework. The new certification programs explore these essential frameworks for WIL programs in depth.
“We are committed to providing solutions that enhance WIL programs worldwide. These initiatives are just the start. WxL will continue to lead through research, educational resources and tailored solutions to develop or innovate WIL,” says Fannon.
As the home of co-operative education in Canada, CEE has more than 25,000 students and 8,000 active employers in more than 70 countries. With expertise in co-op programs, graduate WIL and employability certificates, CEE brings unparalleled knowledge and experience of WIL.
Dr. McRae presents a certificate of completion to Shinichi Miyazato of the Kanazawa Institute of Technology