Navigating Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)
- What particular skills are you looking for? Take a look at our program offerings to see which academic area aligns best.
- For how long do you want to work with a student? WIL opportunities are generally short-term, ranging from a few weeks to several months.
- Paid WIL includes co-ops and apprenticeships.
- Unpaid WIL includes clinical placements, mandatory professional practicums, field placements, and service learning
- Internships, work experience, and community research may be paid or unpaid depending on the program.
- Experience Hub is VIU’s online career and work-integrated learning platform. It is free and employer's can post co-ops, internships, apprenticeships and other paid WIL opportunities. Salary information is mandatory on this platform, with the exception of non-profit organizations, who may advertise volunteer positions.
- You may contact cel@viu.ca for assistance in setting up an employer account. We can also provide support in helping you connect with WIL programs that would best fit your project / employment needs.
- If your opportunity is unpaid and you need support to connect to an unpaid WIL program, such as practicums or service learning, contact cel@viu.ca for guidance.
Explore funding options
ACEWIL have compiled a great list of Federal and BC funding resources, including grants and wage subsidies, if you’re considering hiring a work-integrated learning student for your organization.
Testimonials from Employers
“Our experience with the Vancouver Island University (VIU) internship processes, particularly the recruitment and evaluation phases, has been highly positive. The interactions with the work-integrated learning faculty have been seamless and supportive, ensuring that the internship experience is beneficial for all parties involved. We appreciate VIU's professional approach and look forward to future collaborations.”
- David Michels, Geeks on the Beach
“We recognize the importance of developing editors, designers, writers, proofers, production coordinators, etc. By hosting interns, we believe we are being given an opportunity to ensure that there will be people coming out of the program with an interest in publishing books in Canada. We always appreciate that taking the time to explain to students how the industry and Caitlin Press operates presents an opportunity for us to evaluate and improve our processes.”
Explore more WIL resources
