Thursday, September 10, 2020

CEE's Employer Info Sessions go virtual for fall 2020

By Bethany Mulder-Kelly and Lesia Bandura.

Co-operative and Experiential Education’s (CEE) employer information session events are going virtual for the Fall 2020 term. Aligning with the University’s decision to deliver course activity remotely for next term, employers looking to recruit the University of Waterloo’s top talent pool of students are hosting virtual recruiting events in partnership with CEE. So far, there are more that 60+ bookings before the term starts. 

 “The importance of our students feeling a connection with employers looking to hire will be more critical than ever,” says Assistant Service Manager of Employer Information Sessions Laura Jane Watkins. “I’m excited our team is able to continue to help employers connect with students and we look forward to learnings that are sure to come.” 

Virtual employer information sessions, which will be referred to as “VEIS”, will be held online using Cisco WebEx beginning Wednesday, September 9. VEIS events can be found on the Employer Information Session calendar in WaterlooWorks, and students are encouraged to sign-up for these events in advance. 

The benefits of students attending a VEIS include: 

• Learning about potential job opportunities and the work you would do;
• Connecting directly with employers in a networking environment;
• Discovering employers’ workplace culture;
• Gaining insight into the hiring process;
• Learning from the experiences of past co-op students and alumni who work for the employers;
• Supporting informed decision-making and increase job fit and job match success.

VEIS will target specific program disciplines and student types and levels and are open to junior, intermediate, senior, masters and PhD students, as well as both co-op and graduating students. Students are encouraged to read the event description to find the virtual link and see what type of candidate the employer is looking to hire! Students are also encouraged to check the VEIS calendar weekly, as events will be added throughout the Fall term. Questions regarding VEIS can be directed to infosessions@uwaterloo.ca.

Yes, WeChat

A message from University Relations.

We’re excited to announce that the University of Waterloo has launched a WeChat Official Account. This new social media platform will help us better connect with our Mandarin-speaking Waterloo community and will feature weekly posts every Friday on University updates and resources for current and prospective students. 

If you’re a WeChat user, please give us a follow and share with your network. You can scan the QR code in your personal WeChat account to read our latest article on supports available to help students prep for the (mostly) virtual fall term.

Our WeChat account is being managed by a diverse group of campus stakeholders including representatives from University Relations, Waterloo International and the Student Success Office. If you have feedback or would like to share content ideas for our WeChat account, please email Iva Badjari, Associate Director, Digital Communications. 

Visitors Centre makes temporary move to Needles Hall

The Visitors Centre has temporarily vacated its longtime home in South Campus Hall and has relocated to Needles Hall 1101 just outside the Centre.

The Visitors Centre is making the move in order to allow more room for physical distancing for Tim Hortons and the W Store customers in South Campus Hall.

The Visitors Centre's service delivery for prospective undergraduate students will focus on in-person tours and its regular ongoing inquiry management, including calls, emails, and virtual chats.

The Visitors Centre will be offering limited in-person general campus tours, beginning September 28, that are available by advanced booking only. Given the limited availability of on-campus tours, the outreach will focus on high school students applying for fall 2021 admissions. There will be no group tours or activities, no tours of residences, and no faculty/college/school tours at the present time.

Sustainability certificate reminder and other notes

There's still time to register for the Sustainability Certificate course program for the fall 2020 term. The series of courses, offered to all University employees, is intended to help Waterloo embed sustainability into campus culture, one of the major goals of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy. It includes seven modules that cover key local and global sustainability issues, what the University is doing, and tools and resources for employees to integrate sustainability into their own departments, homes, and beyond. Sessions will be held remotely through Microsoft Teams, and registration will be managed through Workday. For a list of session dates and more information, please visit the Sustainability Certificate webpage. The first session is scheduled to take place on September 17.

GO Transit has made updates to its University of Waterloo services. GO Bus routes that currently serve the University of Waterloo are the 25 Waterloo/Mississauga, and the 25F Waterloo/Highway 407 Bus Terminal. Metrolinx has reported that GO Buses are on a reduced schedule. Here's what you need to know:

• Check your schedule before heading out
• Pre-load your PRESTO card with the app, as cash is no longer accepted. 
• Wear a face covering when you're on GO

Please link to this page: https://www.gotransit.com/en/trip-planning/going-to-school