OTTAWA, Nov. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) announces the launch of its new WIL Hub. The creation of this “one-stop shop” for work-integrated learning tools and resources was made possible through generous support from the Government of Canada.
“As we look to build a strong, inclusive and resilient economic recovery, it is important that post-secondary graduates gain the skills and work experience they’ll need to succeed on the job,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “The Business + Higher Education Roundtable’s initiative will provide employers with the tools and resources they need to explore, invest in, and create quality work-integrated learning opportunities for Canada’s post-secondary students to succeed in today's economy.”
BHER has set a goal of helping every student in Canada get a WIL opportunity during their first post-secondary diploma or degree. That also means helping Canada’s businesses, in partnership with post-secondary institutions, expand access to quality WIL.
Through a national consultation, BHER asked Canada’s employers and WIL stakeholders what tools and resources they needed to create or expand access to quality WIL. And then we went out and built them.
The WIL Hub contains easy-to-use, evidence-based tools and resources that respond directly to what we heard from industry and education stakeholders across the country. Nothing like it exists and some of what’s here, like our ROI Calculator and Find Your WIL tool, are the first of their kind.
Through the WIL Hub, employers will be able to explore, invest in, and create quality WIL opportunities.
“We are so proud to launch the WIL Hub as a way to create and expand access to quality WIL,” said Dr. Valerie Walker, Chief Executive Officer of BHER. “Work is changing and so is WIL. These tools and resources reflect BHER’s commitment to developing practical, end-user-informed solutions to the challenges our stakeholders are facing. They also reflect BHER’s commitment to creating meaningful WIL ecosystems and systems-level change for students, post-secondary institutions, and companies across Canada. Our WIL Hub is going to be a real game changer.”
The WIL Hub is divided into three stages:
- A WIL 101 on Canada’s commitment to WIL and why, and the different Types of WIL available to employers.
- An interactive infographic outlining Employer WIL Benefits at a glance.
- A first-of-its-kind Find Your WIL recommendation tool to guide employers through the different WIL types and engagement opportunities for their organization to determine what’s best for them.
- An interactive map that illustrates Canadian Success Stories from employers and students.
- An ROI toolkit to help businesses calculate their quantitative and qualitative return-on-investment when creating a WIL placement, including two ROI guides, a first-of-its-kind interactive ROI calculator, and a downloadable template.
- A searchable and downloadable Financial Supports Catalogue to help employers find funding support across Canada.
- Virtual mentorship videos and a Mentorship Strategies in WIL Guide for employers, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to develop mentorship best practices within their WIL programs.
- A Performance Assessment Strategies in WIL Guide to help employers utilize effective assessment strategies and engage their students effectively throughout their WIL placement.
- An introductory Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategies in WIL Guide to assist employers in embedding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) practices into their WIL programs.
- Videos from across rural, remote, and Northern communities in Canada that showcase employers and students overcoming existing and pandemic-related barriers to WIL.
Visit our WIL Hub today at bher.ca/wil-hub.
About the Business + Higher Education Roundtable:
The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization bringing together some of Canada’s largest companies and leading post-secondary institutions. Since 2015, BHER has worked to harness the strengths of Canada’s business and post-secondary education sectors to build opportunities for young Canadians, boost innovation and drive collaboration. Learn more at www.bher.ca.
