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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.

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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

Project

Emerging Agricultural Technologies and the Future of Food: Exploring Potential

  • March 2024
  • University of the Fraser Valley
Cellular agriculture is a suite of technologies to grow proteins indoors, with minimal or no use of live animals. Products have the potential to be local, reliable dairy and meat alternatives with low environmental footprints and can be produced in industrial, urban and rural spaces. This project engaged people working in agriculture and food sectors, NGOs, technology developers, entrepreneurs, social science and natural science researchers, educators, and students to explore the viability of a regional cellular agriculture industry in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
3 Related Reports
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Research

Social and Emotional Skills are Top of Mind Across Canada

  • January 2021
  • Signal49 Research (formerly The Conference Board of Canada)
When we asked participants across Canada to identify the most important skills for career success, they overwhelmingly identified social and emotional skills. This summary details their concerns, challenges, and suggestions.
1 Related Reports
Woman in blazer writing in notebook.
Project

Path To Customer Success

  • October 2024
  • The Career Foundation
This project focused on the intersection of women who balance the primary responsibility of caregiving and domestic work; are predominantly Indigenous- and Black-identified; and were working in the retail sector when the pandemic hit.
2 Related Reports
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