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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

Seedling sprouting in dark soil
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Addressing Regional Labour Shortages

  • March 2025
  • Northern Alberta Inst. of Technology (NAIT)
Despite the labour shortage in forestry management in Canada’s North, there is a lack of innovative and engaging training methods and capacity to deliver reforestation skills to remote Indigenous communities. To help meet the need for this training, and to make it accessible and more engaging in digital form, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) created two courses that featured immersive, 360° photos and videos, and a tool kit for instructors who do not have in-depth technical knowledge on how to develop immersive curriculum content.
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Group photo of construction graduates wearing hard hats.
Project

Workforce 2030: Rapid Upskilling for Green-Building Occupations

  • September 2024
  • Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)
By 2030, the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) estimates that with the appropriate framework and investments in place, the Canadian green-building industry could support approximately 1.5 million direct jobs. In Ontario alone, over 100,000 new construction workers are needed in the next 10 years to keep pace with future demand and retirements.
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Research

Labour market implications for racialized youth

  • March 2023
  • Diversity Institute
Through a review of academic and industry reports and an analysis of policies and programs, this report aims to identify the barriers faced by racialized youth in employment and education;
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