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Partners
Calgary Economic Development
Locations
Alberta

Additional Partners

Mount Royal University, University of Calgary, Ambrose University, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, St. Mary’s University, Bow Valley College, Magnet, Orbis Communications

Topics
Future Skills
Pathways to Jobs
SME Adaptability
Work-integrated Learning
Home| Innovation Projects|Project

Calgary Regional WIL Secretariate and Portal 

Work-integrated learning (WIL) gives people the chance to apply the skills they have learned in the classroom while gaining on-the-job experience and pathways to meaningful careers in  emerging, high-demand sectors. 

Evaluation Report:
Work Integrated Learning Evaluation Report

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Through FSC’s $2.9 million investment, Calgary Economic Development (CED) is developing a one-stop, online portal for WIL opportunities in the region. These paid work placements focus on gaining hands-on experience from industry experts over the course of a student’s academic studies. Placements can be co-ops, internships, applied research projects or field placements.

person using a laptop and writing in a notebook

This innovative model and central platform will support economic growth and inclusion through WIL for post-secondary students, and will benefit jobseekers, employers and the Alberta economy.This initiative will also make WIL more accessible to non-traditional participants such as mature learners, youth, and organizations not typically connected to post-secondary institutions. 

CED and multiple local stakeholders have come together to form a consortium with technology partners Magnet and Orbis Communications, in order to demonstrate the viability of deploying a regional WIL model and to identify and address issues around broader applicability for communities and regions across Canada. 

This work is immediately contributing to Calgary’s economic transformation, while also providing insights for a more systematic way for employers to collaborate with post-secondary institutions. 

Featured Projects

Research

Unemployment in Canada: A report from the Survey on Employment and Skills

  • September 2024
  • Diversity Institute, Environics Institute
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted employment in many ways and reshaped patterns of work. This report works to better understand the conditions that impact unemployment and that keep individuals from finding a job that fits.
1 Related Reports
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Research

Advancing Women in the Information and Communications Technology Workplace: A Review of Leading Practices

  • February 2025
  • Diversity Institute, University of Manitoba
This report examines barriers faced by women in the ICT sector and devises strategies to improve representation, advancement and inclusion.
2 Related Reports
Aerial view from an airplane window of a cityscape down below.
Research

Immigration and the success of Canada’s post-pandemic Economy

  • May 2021
  • Diversity Institute, Public Policy Forum
Immigration is an important part of Canada’s economic growth – especially in terms of sustaining the labour market. And although Canada welcomes many immigrants to our shores, we aren’t creating an employment environment where they can use their skills to their fullest potential. There are several steps that Canada needs to take to fix this problem, such as getting better at recognizing the credentials immigrants possess and providing them with improved labour market information throughout their immigration journey.
1 Related Reports
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