Current students

The Sudbury Star highlights Jonathan Gbedemah, a graduate of the University of Waterloo’s Doctor of Pharmacy Co-operative Education Program, who credits his co-op clinical rotations in Sudbury for inspiring his long-term commitment to northern Ontario. After gaining hands-on experience across twenty-three pharmacies, he opened Jonathan’s Kingsway Pharmacy in Sudbury and was recently named Young Entrepreneur of the Year. His journey reflects how Waterloo’s co-op education fosters career readiness, community impact, and entrepreneurial success.

By: Matthew King

The graduate work-integrated learning (GradWIL) project at the University of Waterloo is finishing its pilot phase and moving into operational programs. This important step is a chance to look back at what has been achieved so far and to show ongoing commitment to giving graduate students practical, career-focused work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences. 

How can reflection enhance your work-integrated learning experience? Dr. Andrea Prier discusses the practice of reflection in co-op education and its role in helping students plan, engage, and evaluate their work experiences. Learn how intentional reflection at different stages of the work term can improve skill articulation, personal growth, and career preparedness for both students and employers.

In this episode, Dr. Richard Wikkerink and Ben McDonald discuss the importance of engagement in cooperative education at the University of Waterloo. They explain how meaningful connections with students enhance their educational experience and help them thrive. By focusing on strategies such as professional development courses, advisor-student relationships, and facilitating job opportunities, they show how engagement can set students up for future success. The conversation also highlights skill development, including teamwork, intercultural effectiveness, and the value of regular assessments and student reflections. Ultimately, this episode emphasizes the need for ongoing improvements in engagement to better equip students for their careers.

How can you make a positive impact in the workplace? Dr. Norah McRae, associate provost of Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE), discusses how the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are used as a framework to create meaningful work experiences. Learn how concentrating on impact can open doors to new opportunities and enable both students and employers to tackle the future of work head-on.

Gen Z is taking over the world — and the workplace. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Drewery, associate director of the Work-Learn Institute, to discuss what Gen Z values most and how these core values are shaping their careers.  

What are your values and how do they inform your life choices? Jen Woodside, director of Waterloo’s Centre for Career Action, talks to Jodi about the role exploring, identifying and applying your values can play in finding your career path. 

The world of work is rapidly changing – how can you prepare for an unknown future? We talk to Anne-Marie Fannon, director of Waterloo’s Work-Learn Institute, about the Future Ready Talent Framework.

SDGs at Work is a new term-based activity launched by CEE, which aims to promote student discussion of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students can then bring this learning into their workplace though work-integrated learning (WIL).

SDG Week Canada promotes interdisciplinary engagement with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over 70 events were held across 50 campuses in Canada to advance the 17 SDGs.