Recruit skilled talent for construction, sustainable design, architectural and civil engineering industries

Female student on the left and two male students on the right, working on equipment in industrial engineering setting.

Build your emerging workforce. Start with student talent.

The industry is changing. Sustainable practices and technological advancements provide cutting-edge innovations for the future.

To adapt, the industry needs talent with architectural, engineering, technology and business skills. Yet, due to a lack of available qualified candidates, 68 per cent of construction firms are struggling to fill open positions, according to Deloitte’s 2024 engineering and construction industry outlook.

Tapping into the emerging workforce, like skilled co-op students, can help solve your organization's talent challenges.

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Why hire Waterloo?

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#1 in Canada for environmental science and engineering

Academic Ranking of World Universities 2023

Ranked among Top 50 engineering schools worldwide

World University Rankings by Subject 2022

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#1 in Canada for hands-on experiential learning

Maclean’s Student Voices Survey 2022

Roles co-op students can fill

Tap into valuable skills of Waterloo co-op students in areas such as:

Architecture / Architectural Engineering

Sample jobs	Sample job responsibilities
Architectural assistant	Design detailed interior and exterior 3D models.
Field engineering/ project co-ordination	Assist with stakeholder meetings and presentations.
Engineering and administration support	Prepare, organize and track expense documents, schedules and paperwork.
Junior designer	Execute design elements and drawing revisions.
Computer aided design (CAD) technologist	Generate CAD models of buildings and equipment.
Design Assistant	Assist in compiling data for architectural plans, specifications, cost estimates, reports, etc.

Civil engineering

Sample jobs	Sample job responsibilities
Engineering assistant	Complete AutoCAD drawings.
Field engineer	Co-ordinate onsite engineering activities.
Junior analyst	Assist with the preparation of regular progress reports and data analysis.
Junior technician	Provide field support, including note taking, sampling, etc.
Computer aided design (CAD) modeller	Generate CAD models of buildings, objects, and landscapes in support of projects.

Construction

Sample jobs	Sample job responsibilities
Junior HVAC/R technician	Support all aspects of on-site duties.
Project co-ordinator	Maintain records and communicate the required information to the relevant parties.
Assistant estimator	Participate in project and bid package estimates.
Junior building inspector	Assist with building inspections including structural, electrical and/or mechanical systems.
Construction co-ordinator	Assist in preparing, organizing and tracking expense documents.
Construction administrative assistant	Prepare Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
Building science intern	Conduct field reviews and prepare construction reports.

Sustainable design

Sample jobs	Sample job responsibilities
Sustainability co-ordinator	Co-ordinate sustainability initiatives, including monitoring projects and tracking goals.
Sustainable design assistant	Conduct feasibility studies for integrating renewable energy systems into building designs.
Renewable energy analyst	Perform energy modeling and analysis to optimize building performance.
Green building design intern	Assist in ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and standards.
Environmental compliance intern	Conduct environmental impact assessments for construction projects.

Fund your next hire

Hiring a co-op student through the subsidies and grants below can be an affordable way of building a sustainable talent strategy!

Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)

Through SWPP, Canadian organizations that offer full-time employment opportunities for full-time Canadian post-secondary students can receive wage subsidies.

Funding will cover up to 50 per cent in wage subsidies (to a max. of $5,000) per co-op student hired for each 12–16-week work term. Students hired from under-represented groups may be eligible to have up to 70 per cent of their wages subsidized. Eligbility is determined on a case-by-case basis at the end of each work term.

Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit

Large corporations can claim 25 per cent of expenditures, up to $3,000 per work placement. Small businesses can claim 30 per cent, up to $3,000. Each work placement must be at least 10 weeks and up to 4 months. This tax credit is available for each eligible work placement. Employers may have multiple work placements at the same time and throughout the year.

The tax credit is per eligible work placement and there is no cap. If an organization decides to hire for an eight-month work term, or two students for four-month work terms, both would be considered as two work placements and would be eligible for a total tax credit of up to $6,000.

Find the right talent today.

Connect with Alyssa! 🚀

Alyssa is an industry strategist with the University of Waterloo’s Co-operative Education department. She can help guide your recruitment strategy and answer questions about recruiting top co-op talent.

Email: alyssa.kuron@uwaterloo.ca

Phone: 226-972-3821

Industry-leading companies hire co-op students

By: Krista Henry (she/her)

The company hires co-op students as part of its long-term talent strategy.

Man wearing orange hard hat working in an engineering lab

By: Krista Henry

Students help CanmetENERGY meet net zero goals.

By: Namish Modi (he/him)

Bosch, based in Germany, implements strategies to make the transition smoother for students, while providing opportunities for quality work terms.