Degree Work Placement – Mandatory (shorter than co-op) Placement

In degree programs, students must obtain 14 weeks of paid, full-time or part-time equivalent (420 hours) work experience prior to graduation, related to the professional field of study (PEQAB, 2019). Characteristics of degree work placement are:

• Each work situation is approved by the college as a suitable learning situation appropriate to the field of the program.
• The work experience has articulated, appropriate learning outcomes.
• The student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing.
• The student receives remuneration for the work performed. When a paid work term is not feasible, unpaid work terms of comparable length may be approved by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB).
• The student’s performance on the job is supervised by both a college representative with relevant academic credentials and an employer/staff member who collaborate to evaluate the student performance.
• The work experience provides opportunities and structure for student reflection on program learning outcomes in relationship to work-integrated learning experience(s).
• The time spent in periods of work experience may be less than 30 percent of the time spent in academic study (shorter than co-op), e.g., one semester work experience and eight semesters of academic study.
• The normal and expected WIL experience is one that occurs outside of the academic term however part-time WIL experiences may allowed, bearing in mind that any such learning experiences are subject to review upon renewal consent and that part-time employment should not compromise the feasibility of academic studies (i.e., part-time employment should not create undue or excessive student workload) (PEQAB, 2019).
• The work experience may occur either in one block, or in multiple cumulative blocks appropriate to achieving the learning outcomes but amounts to no less than 14 weeks of full-time equivalent work (420 hours).

The Degree Work Placement is a mandatory requirement for completion of the program (i.e., the work placement cannot be optional).

Degree Work Placement does not receive operating grant funding.