EDGE eligibility and program requirements

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EDGE gives you flexibility. Explore your career path by completing milestones at your own pace while developing professional skills for your future.

Students who work through EDGE will graduate with an essential set of skills and the ability to make clear, confident connections between their own experience and the needs of employers.

Am I eligible for EDGE?

If you are currently enrolled in a regular (non-co-op) undergrad program, you are eligible to take part in EDGE.

Please note: There are a few specific examples of conflicts. If there is an issue with your eligibility, an EDGE advisor will reach out.

Program requirements

Students complete six milestones as part of the EDGE certificate program.

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ONE Skills identification and articulation workshop

Practice recognizing your skills and expressing them to employers in a confident, concise fashion.
career development representation
ONE Career development course

Develop core career-seeking skills and align your career goals with your values, skills and interests.
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THREE Work or community experiences

Explore a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom and reflect on your personal growth.
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ONE Capstone workshop

Tie everything together and develop an action plan for post-graduation success.
 

If you've already successfully completed multiple terms at the University, you may already be eligible for select EDGE milestones. You can start to plan your journey through EDGE. Start by reviewing the following milestone opportunities.

Skills identification and articulation workshop

This workshop helps you identify the skills you’ve developed both inside and outside of the classroom throughout your undergraduate career.   

You’ll learn to recognize and identify your skills and develop strategies for expressing these skills to target audiences (e.g., potential employers).  

The workshop is facilitated by a career advisor from the Centre for Career Development.  

You can complete the EDGE skills identification and articulation workshop in one of three ways:  

  1. Attend a standalone workshop offered by the Centre for Career Development; or 

  1. Complete the online skills identification and articulation workshop and quiz content in the EDGE LEARN community; or

  1. Successfully complete an academic course that offers the workshop as part of its course content. See LEARN for the full list of courses that include the skills identification and articulation workshop. Email edge@uwaterloo.ca if you have any questions about whether you have earned this milestone through a course.

Career development course

The career development course helps you to develop core career-seeking skills. You’ll refine your résumé writing and interview skills and align your career goals with your values, skills and interests.  

The course is rooted in the Centre for Career Development’s expertise in career development theory.  

PD1: Career Fundamentals designed for EDGE students is the equivalent to the career development course.

Work or community experiences

As an EDGE student, you’ll use work and/or community experiences to explore opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom and reflect on your personal growth.  

You can complete your work or community experience milestones in three ways: 

Curricular: Experiential learning courses

The University of Waterloo offers a range of academic courses that include a work-integrated learning component. These courses involve an industry or community partner who works with the course instructor to provide you with valuable coaching and mentorship. The partners are immersed in their industries and can help you understand how your skills align with your chosen field. 

If you're completing an experiential learning course, you need to meet each of the following criteria to receive an EDGE milestone for your experience: 

Total time

Academic performance

Evaluation

Reflection
Experiential learning courses involve at least 18 hours of work with a third party in a term. You must pass the course to receive an EDGE milestone.  You need an evaluation from the third party involved in your course.  You must submit a reflective assignment to the EDGE team.


If you’re unsure whether an experiential learning course meets the eligibility criteria, please complete the Independent Studies and Special Topics Enrollment form found within the EDGE LEARN Community. Please contact the EDGE team if you have any questions about eligibility. 

Field work

The Safety Office defines field work as “any activity undertaken by members of the University in any location external to University of Waterloo campuses for the purpose of research, study, training or learning.” For example, field work may include activities as diverse as supervised sample collection, international internships and work within factories or construction sites.

If you complete a course involving field work for an EDGE milestone, an industry or community partner will evaluate you based on the work you complete under their supervision.

Many academic courses that include some kind of field work are EDGE-compatible. For more information about field work on- and off-campus, visit the Safety Office’s website.

Internships

Interships are pre-arranged periods of time spent working, either paid or unpaid, in a field of study or interest.

The length and intensity of an internship can vary widely. Some internships last just a few hours a week and others can be nearly full-time commitments.

If you complete a course involving an internship for an EDGE milestone, an industry or community partner will evaluate you based on the work you complete as part of the internship.

Some traditional programs of study (like International Development) and academic courses (like REC 450: Internship Course for Therapeutic Recreation) include internships that may qualify for EDGE milestones. For more information about internships, visit the Centre for Career Development.

Practicums

Practicums give students the opportunity to earn supervised experience relevant to their program of study and connect that experience to their in-class learning.

If you complete a course involving a practicum for an EDGE milestone, an industry or community partner will evaluate you based on the work you complete as part of the practicum.

For more information about practicums, consider asking your advisor about opportunities available in your program and/or field of study.

Projects

Some experiential learning courses include large projects that are completed in tandem with industry or community partners. Students in the course may work with these partners to develop programs, products or strategies that are subsequently put into real use by the partner.

If you complete a course involving a project for an EDGE milestone, the industry or community partner will evaluate you based on the work you complete as part of the project.

For more information about courses that involve projects, consider asking your advisor about courses available in your field of study.

Co-curricular: On-campus experiences

You can earn an EDGE milestone for a work/community experience by completing experiences on campus. 

If you're involved in an on-campus activity, you need to meet each of the following criteria to receive an EDGE milestone for your experience: 

Total time

Professional development

Evaluation
On-campus experiences must involve at least 36 hours of work in a term. You must complete an elective professional development (PD) course during the same term as your experience You must have an evaluation from your supervisor. 


The EDGE team has already pre-approved dozens of on-campus experiences for use with EDGE. If an experience you’re interested in is pre-approved, that means the EDGE team has connected with the partner providing the experience to make sure it involves at least 36 hours of activity.  

These partners have also agreed to evaluate your skills at the end of the experience, giving you feedback you can put towards your professional development. 

Pre-approved experiences include faculty-specific opportunities, positions with university colleges, roles within student societies, club executive positions and opportunities with other offices and services on campus. 

If you’re unsure whether an on-campus employment opportunity meets the eligibility criteria, contact the EDGE team to assess the position. 

If you are an international student and unsure about working in Canada, we recommend booking an appointment with an Immigration Consultant. 

Paid employment

There are several paid employment opportunities on campus. These experiences can influence the development of your employability skills, help you figure out your professional goals and interests, and give you the chance to reflect on your personal growth. Consider checking out part-time employment opportunities with Food Services, Campus Housing, WUSA or Athletics and Recreation. 

If you spend at least 36 hours working in a position during a single term, you may be eligible to earn an EDGE milestone for the experience. 

Volunteering

Volunteer on-campus is working, with or without special training, to provide support to the University without payment and without any expectation for compensation of any kind.

Many of the on-campus experience that have been pre-approved as EDGE milestones are volunteer opportunities. Departments on campus that engage volunteers may require you to fill out documentation pertaining to the nature of your position. These volunteer agreement forms are regulated by the Safety Office. 

For more information about volunteering on campus, visit the Safety Office’s website. 

Work-study positions

The University’s work-study (and international work-study) programs offer part-time, on-campus positions to full-time students with financial need. You can look for work-study positions on the work-study program’s website. These positions may count as EDGE milestones if they satisfy the 36-hour minimum.

Co-curricular: Off-campus experiences

Want to work or volunteer off campus? You are eligible to use an approved off-campus work or volunteer experiences to complete your EDGE milestones. 

If you're involved in an off-campus activity, you need to meet each of the following criteria to receive an EDGE milestone for your experience: 

Total time

Professional development 

Evaluation
Off-campus experiences must involve at least 36 hours of work in a term.  You must complete an elective professional development (PD) course during the same term as your experience.  You need an evaluation from your supervisor.


If you’re unsure whether an off-campus opportunity meets the eligibility criteria, contact the EDGE team to assess the position. 

If you’re an international student and unsure about working in Canada, we recommend booking an appointment with an Immigration Consultant. 

Paid employment

Pairing off-campus work experiences with professional development is a great way to enhance your undergraduate degree. Full- or part-time employment opportunities off-campus, during both school and off terms, are eligible for EDGE milestones. 

If you need support finding off-campus employment, consider checking out the WaterlooWorks 'Other jobs' board for positions available to regular stream students. You can connect with employers with temporary, short-term needs that might fit your schedule.  

If you’re unsure whether an off-campus employment opportunity meets the EDGE eligibility criteria, contact the EDGE team to assess the position. 

Volunteering

Volunteerism off-campus is governed by a complex set of codes and regulations. The exact definition of volunteering can vary depending on what you’re reading.

Taking legal and campus-specific definitions into account, here’s what you need to know about volunteering off-campus:

  • Volunteers don’t receive any compensation for their work beyond an allowance for expenses or an honorarium. Not all volunteer opportunities include expenses or an honorarium.
  • Volunteers enter their work without any expectations regarding payment.
  • Volunteers typically complete work on an intermittent and/or casual basis for an altruistic cause.
  • If the work a volunteer is doing closely resembles the duties associated with a similar paid worker and it’s subject to the same supervision, the volunteer should probably be paid.

Students that participate in off-campus volunteer positions may be required to fill out documentation pertaining to the nature of the position. These volunteer agreement forms are regulated by the Safety Office. For more information about volunteering on campus, visit the Safety Office’s website

Volunteer positions may qualify for EDGE milestones if they satisfy the 36-hour minimum. If you’re unsure whether or not an off-campus volunteer opportunity meets the eligibility criteria, contact the EDGE team to assess the position.

International opportunities

If you’re considering using an international experience towards a work or community experience milestone, there are additional pieces that you must complete.  

If you'll be physically located outside of Canada during your experience, you'll need to complete the International Experience Form. You can find the International Experience Form in the EDGE LEARN community.

If you’re unsure whether your experience will be eligible, please contact the EDGE team.

Capstone workshop

The capstone workshop is the final crowning achievement of the EDGE program and supports students in synthesizing their learnings. Workshop participants reflect on their journey through EDGE and determine what's next as they work towards achieving their post-graduation goals.   

The capstone workshop will help you integrate the skills you developed during your undergraduate career, market yourself to employers, and develop a post-graduation plan of action.

You’ll begin the workshop by reflecting on your growth and development throughout your undergraduate career before learning more about networking, career capital and your personal brand. By the time the workshop is finished, you’ll prepare a career strategy for yourself and present it to your peers before receiving post-workshop feedback from an on-campus career professional.  

The two-day workshop is facilitated by career advisors from the Centre for Career Development and offered once a term.

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Ready to get started?

Like what you’ve read? When you're ready to take the leap, registering for EDGE is easy.

Questions about eligibility and program requirements?