Staff

In an HRD Talk episode, host Emily Douglas sits down with Judene Pretti, director of the Work-Learn Institute, and co-op student Maanasa Rajaguru, third-year Faculty of Arts co-op student, from the University of Waterloo to explore how employers can more effectively engage Gen Z talent. The conversation highlights Gen Z’s desire for meaningful work and a strong sense of belonging. Pretti and Rajaguru emphasize that young workers thrive when they’re treated as valued team members whose contributions align with broader organizational goals. To connect with the next generation, organizations must foster cultures centred on growth, continuous learning and purpose.

In the Ottawa Sun, Linda White explores how co-operative education programs allow students to test drive careers, highlighting the University of Waterloo’s leading role with North America’s largest co-op program. Molly Furness, career advisor with Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE), explains how this hands-on approach helps students confirm or reconsider their career goals early on. Through its Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF), Waterloo’s co-op program allows students to develop key skills, earn income and establish professional networks, positioning them for job offers and long-term success.

In a Times of India video, Pallavi Thapar, an international student from India, shares how the University of Waterloo helped her overcome homesickness and grow into a confident, independent learner. At 4:23 of the video, she highlights the co-op program and the Centre for Career Development (CCD) as key supports in exploring career options and gaining real-world experience.

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. 

Shabnam Surjitsingh Ivković and Norah McRae report on the impact on students and employers from participating in the SDGs at Work activity and engaging with the Sustainability Impact Framework. Data was collected from end of term evaluations completed by Waterloo co-op employers and Waterloo co-op students.

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).

Staff loss is a struggle that many universities are facing post-pandemic. To combat this trend, leaders should focus on human-centered approaches, including recognition, professional development, and building community in the workplace.

When The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario was overcapacity with children battling illnesses in November, two University Waterloo Pharmacy students, who were already in Ottawa for their co-op positions, stepped up to help. Parsa Ali and Duaa Osman brought an “injection of energy” to the hospital during a tough time.

The University of Waterloo is compared to Californian schools in Computer Science by overall rank, student employability, program size, research capabilities and entrepreneurship.