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. 

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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

Woman in protective clothing using touchpad in factory
Project

Virtualization of Experiential Learning Platforms and their Pedagogical Models

The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) tested the virtualization of training by building a platform that provided learners, instructors and researchers with remote access to a physical training environment.
Workers training together
Project

A pay-for-performance model for skills training

This project was designed to address two key issues related to training programs that address skills gaps in manufacturing—employer underinvestment and low participation. The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC), in partnership with Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC), piloted an outcomes-based “pay-for-performance” model, which reimbursed employers if they successfully supported the delivery of EMC’s Manufacturing Essentials Certification soft skills training program and met key performance targets.
Smiling students in the classroom looking at camera.
Project

Youth Jobs and Employment Career Pathing

Many youth, especially those from equity-deserving groups, are not aware of what career options they have and do not know what skills they need to achieve them. To address these gaps, the Diversity Institute designed and tested the Future Skills & Careers platform with the Peel District School Board (PDSB).
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