Work.Learn.Repeat Podcast - S1 E1 | Dr. Norah McRae
Then and now - University of Waterloo Co-op
Co-operative education at the University of Waterloo was built in from the very beginning. That strong foundation has allowed us to not only build the program we have today with more than 25,000 students and 7,500 employers, but build opportunities beyond co-op for our students. They learn how to navigate the hiring process, applying their skills to real-life problems and learning about themselves along the way, ultimately preparing them for the future of work. Hear Dr. Norah McRae talk about how it all started, where we are today and the path forward.
WATCH | LISTEN | SHOW NOTES | SPECIAL GUEST
SHOW NOTES
(0:30) How did co-operative education start at University of Waterloo?
(1:25) What makes co-op different at Waterloo?
(4:48) Work-integrated learning (WIL) beyond co-op
(7:23) Work-Learn Institute – global leaders in WIL research
(11:48) How we future-proof Waterloo employers
(14:40) Supporting and preparing students
(18:21) Future-proofing Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University
(19:38) Where is CEE headed in the next 5 to 10 years?
(21:30) Equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and decolonization
(22:20) Industry 5.0 – working with AI and automation
(23:08) Making an impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
(25:22) Trends in the future of work and education
Mentioned in this episode:
Dr. Norah McRae
Associate Provost, Co-operative and Experiential Education
Norah McRae, PhD, is associate provost, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) at the University of Waterloo. Her involvement in co-operative and work-integrated education spans more than 20 years, over which time she has led strategic program development and research on student engagement, community-engaged learning and intercultural competency development.