VOTE for the winner of CEE’s 2023 Impact On Student Experience Award

Our student voices – voices like yours – matter!

When we asked employers to consider their impact on our student community for the Co-operative and Experiential Education Employer Impact Awards, we were impressed with their submissions. Since this award is about student experience, we need your help selecting the employer to receive the 2023 Employer Impact Award for Student Experience.

Vote for the employer with the most compelling story about their impact on student experience.

When voting for an employer submission, consider if the employer:

makes a significant impact on student experience.
empowers their students to grow, thrive and succeed.
equips students with skills required for the future workforce.
provides students with opportunities for professional development and experiences that help prepare for the future. (e.g. relationship building, training, upskilling, reskilling, problem solving, critical thinking, etc.).
has programs to promote student learning, health and wellness in the workplace.

Please note: participation in this voting is confidential and voluntary, and the results of the voting will only be reported in aggregate, ensuring that no individual can be identified. If Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) does not receive enough student votes to fairly determine the winner of the Impact on Student Experience Award, CEE reserves the right to determine a winner based on their initial submission package.

Nominees for this award and their impact

All finalists have a work term rating of 8.3 or higher.

Dayforce

Dayforce provides human resources software and services to employers worldwide. The company is committed to providing co-op students with opportunities for learning and development. Its Early Talent Program fosters supportive and nurturing environments that value student contributions and prioritize their well-being.

Some highlights of their program include:

Onboarding students with events like coffee chats with senior leaders to learn about the company and networking events with staff and other co-op students.
Providing hands-on experiences in app and software development and implementation – enabling students to see their impact on the company.
Offering professional development opportunities like one-on-one resume critique, discussions that help with the transition from co-op student to full-time employee, training programs, mentorship, and lunch and learns.
Hosting a summer hackathon where students work with senior professionals to develop creative and innovative ideas and products.
Working to reduce the threat of burnout by prioritizing wellness days and a Team Refresh program.
Providing opportunities to learn public speaking, marketing and event planning skills as part of the Campus Ambassador Program.

Dayforce wants to offer students transformative experiences that help them develop confidence and purpose. The company strives to make a lasting impact on students’ career journeys.

Liftwerx

Liftwerx offers creative and innovative lifting solutions for major component replacements in wind turbines. The company provides co-op students with stimulating work terms that offer rewarding experiences in a dynamic and challenging environment. Co-op work terms are like a four-month interviews as the company is always looking for students who can be hired full-time after they graduate.

Liftwerx creates many opportunities for students to grow and learn including:

Matching students with a senior leader who acts as their dedicated mentor for the term. Providing customized programs and initiatives to help students learn.
Offering students opportunities to travel to job sites for 1-3 weeks and be fully immersed in the work. Students get to be team members and work on real life projects sometimes working in remote locations.
Treating students as team members and encouraging them to share their fresh perspectives and innovation ideas.
Organizing team-building activities, networking events and gatherings to facilitate meaningful connections between students and staff members.

Building strong relationships is fundamental to Liftwerx’s approach to student development. They foster an environment that offers opportunities for growth and development.

Nuclear Promise X

Nuclear Promise X (NPX) is a tech start-up that specializes in innovation in the nuclear industry. One of NPX’s core values is “You are safe here” and the company works to build a strong sense of community in a remote work environment.

How does NPX achieve this?

Offering employees free access to a Headspace account and a mental health toolbox.
Scheduling regular check-ins with managers and offering a virtual open-door policy through group chats between students and managers.
Piloting a mid-term focus group in which students can offer suggestions and share feedback about their experience. As a result of this pilot, NPX implemented a short-term shadowing program.
Launching two new info sessions, based on student feedback, about resume writing and advice from an employee who transitioned from co-op student to full-time employee after graduation.
Prioritizing freedom to explore and learn more about the industry – offering students time to pursue their interests and be creative and innovative through their innovation incubator, X Program.
Encouraging students to attend conferences to learn, network and build stronger bonds with NPX colleagues.

NPX is dedicated to helping students develop their skills and passions. The company has hired many co-op students into full-time roles after they graduate.

Omnium

Omnium is a revenue growth management consultancy that uses its mathematical techniques, data science skills and professional business experience to help organizations develop and implement accurate and effective solutions to sales and marketing challenges. Omnium places a high value on co-op students and gives them opportunities for growth, innovation and creativity.

They achieve this by:

Providing 4-5 weeks training programs to help students master Microsoft Excel and learn about consumer packaged goods (CPG) fundamentals, data science fundamentals and best practices for data analysis in the CPG industry.
Giving students the opportunity to work directly with senior leaders on client work including presentations to client CEOs and creating key documentation for clients. Co-op students are involved in all stages of client work.
Providing mentorship from senior leaders and the opportunity for students to develop and create a personal project including a project plan. At the end of the term, students present their project to the entire company. Omnium has implemented some of the ideas and concepts from these co-op student-led projects.
Inviting co-op students to social events, conferences and other opportunities for professional development.

Omnium’s culture values the contributions of student and the company invests significant time and energy in training and developing the skills of students for their success at Omnium and beyond.

Region of Waterloo Waste Management Division

The Region of Waterloo Waste Management Division is responsible for the collection of garbage and recycling in the Waterloo region. The organization prioritizes including students in all aspects of the work to help students’ growth and development.

Here are a few of The Region of Waterloo Waste Management Division’s initiatives to support their co-op students’ experiences:

Giving students the opportunity and autonomy to research and present their findings, limitations and recommendations to the team – including senior management.
Inviting students on tours of waste management facilities to help them learn the full cycle of waste management and understand how their work impacts the division.
Offering sessions to help students with their careers including resume reviews, mock interviews and special “ask me anything” sessions with managers.
Including co-op students in celebrations and social events and inviting them to choose a theme for their birthday (if it occurs during their work term).

Students often stay in contact with colleagues from the division and share updates about their academics, work and volunteer involvements. The division supports students beyond their work terms, offering help and guidance as they pursue their next endeavours.