Co-op and Experiential Education

We have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution with technology spearheading and transforming the workforce and the future of business. It’s happening all around us. Blockbuster went bankrupt with the introduction of streaming services like Netflix. Taxis have repositioned their business models due to app-driven ride-share programs like Uber. Roles of financial advising and investing are becoming obsolete with algorithmically programmed robo-investors.

A group of computer science students are applying big data practices to predicting the cease of COVID cases in Canada. Their findings? October 15, 2020.

Faced with this unprecedented situation of pivoting to online learning, many of Waterloo’s instructors wanted to get their students involved in research around COVID-19.

One such instructor is computer science professor Ali Abedi, who teaches two big data courses: Data Intensive Distributed Computing (CS451) and Data Intensive Distributed Analytics (CS431).

They say the friends you make in university will be friendships that will last a lifetime — and the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) isn’t letting anything (not even COVID-19) come between that.

Integrated within the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM), Math/CPA and Biotech/CPA programs is an experiential learning initiative called “2YEx” (the two-year experience). The goal of 2YEx is to inspire engaged learners that support each other while honing their collaboration and teamwork skills.

Judene Pretti, Director of the Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education and Jennifer Woodside, Director of the Centre for Career Action answer our questions about the new world of work.

Should people be trying to find jobs right now?

University of Waterloo researchers are developing personalized 3D-printed mask components for front line health-care providers as well as patients who regularly visit medical facilities for treatments such as dialysis and chemotherapy.

Members of the  Multi-Scale Additive Manufacturing (MSAM) Laboratory have produced a number of prototypes based on approved design guidelines from Health Canada and the National Institutes for Health.

A quick pivot and a string of long days allowed Waterloo Engineering to connect with prospective students even as the coronavirus crisis picked up steam last month.

Instead of welcoming applicants and their families to the usual campus-wide open house during the March break - one of countless events cancelled as strict social distancing measures took effect - staff were able to send out more than 12,000 personalized emails with links to online videos.

In our rapidly  changing  economy,  corporate leaders  must respond to  the  opportunities  and challenges of  the  shifting  nature of work.  Canada and the world need creative minds who can  expertly  navigate  disruption  and leverage new  technologies  to ensure a prosperous economic future.

Executives from the private and public sector explored how to future-proof the Canadian workforce by attracting and retaining top talent at the Waterloo Innovation Summit in Ottawa.

The University of Waterloo's startup incubator Velocity has launched a second venture capital fund targeted specifically at early-stage startups involved in health technology.

The announcement came Thursday evening in Kitchener during Velocity's tri-annual pitch competition.

Martin Basiri
Alumnus, Faculty of Engineering (MASc ’13)
> CEO and co-founder, Applyboard

Martin Basiri was an ambitious undergrad at a top university in Iran when he decided to study abroad for graduate school. He had already built a startup, won a national innovation competition, and excelled in school.