May 28, 2021
'Externship' initiative links work-hungry Schulich students with hands-on experiences
Schulich School of Engineering students looking to gain experience in industry have a new avenue to connect with prospective employers.
The new has been launched for the summer of 2021, with the hope of getting qualified students an opportunity to work on projects with industry partners.
鈥淎lberta鈥檚 economic situation, along with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, requires that we step up and innovate some new ways for students to break into the job market,鈥 says Jenny Cruickshank, associate director of student services at Schulich. 鈥淲e want this program to bridge the gap for those students wanting to develop their professional skills and knowledge with industry-led, experiential learning.鈥
Shorter than a typical internship, the externship program will provide students with 150 to 250 hours of experience, spread over four to 10 weeks, ending by Aug.聽20.
Getting to work
Students participating in the externship program, which consists of unpaid work experience, will be supported with a scholarship of $5,000 to use toward聽tuition in the upcoming fall and winter terms.
The program is supported, in-part, by gifts made to the Schulich School of Engineering during the April 2021 草莓污视频导航 Giving Day, with contributions of up to 50 per cent from industry participants.
鈥淲e鈥檙e targeting students who have not secured an internship or practicum placement,鈥 Cruickshank says. 鈥淔rom there, we will connect industry projects with eligible students to identify work-integrated learning opportunities for at least 10 students.鈥
To participate, students must be in good academic standing with a GPA above 2.0. They will also be required to submit a resume and complete a critical reflection after the experience.
about industry-partner requirements.
Adding to the team
Businesses have been looking for unique approaches to counter the challenges provided by the economy and COVID-19.
Participating in the externship program involves a simple process. Organizations complete an online form, providing details about project outcomes, key engineering attributes students will gain from the experience, and logistics for project execution.
For some, the opportunity to work with more Schulich students is welcome.
鈥淚 am always impressed with the quality of students at Schulich,鈥 says John Zahary, Altex Energy president and chief operating officer. 鈥淎s an alumnus of the Schulich School of Engineering, it鈥檚 also gratifying to see the school focus on students gaining experiential learning to support them in seeking employment.鈥
Dr. Noreen Kamal is the co-founder and chief technology officer at DESTINE Health. She says Schulich students she has dealt with in the past have shown they were very capable and up-to-date with the latest technology.
鈥淭here is a place in society to give students experiential learning,鈥 Kamal says. 鈥淟earning through work is critical and we are committed to it. I feel like I鈥檓 giving them a learning environment.鈥
Once summer ends, Cruickshank鈥檚 team will reach out to participants and industry partners for feedback.
鈥淲e hope to find out what worked and what didn鈥檛,鈥 she says. 鈥淚f all goes well, we would love to build on this idea and provide even more placements next summer.鈥
Interested students and industry partners have until June 17, 2021 to apply.