Waterloo co-op students drive digital transformation, sustainability and inclusivity across industries

As technologies, like artificial intelligence, continue to advance innovation in the workforce, University of Waterloo co-op students are playing a crucial role in digital transformation.

In 2022, the Employer Impact Award recipients utilized student talent to help feed the world, digitize the insurance landscape, and gain international perspectives.

On October 5, 2023, during the fourth annual Employer Impact Award virtual ceremony, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) recognized the following standout employers:

Award	Recipient	Honourable mention
Impact In Innovation	Dundas Life	Bombardier Recreational Products Inc
Impact in Sustainability	Liberty	Purpose Building Inc
Impact in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion	Loopio	Nuclear Promise X
Impact in International Experience	Bosch	The Argus Group
Impact on Student Experience	Geotab	Thomson Reuters
Impact in Research	Ceragen	Cosm Medical Corp

Loopio hosts diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) ambassador awards to highlight behaviours that reflect DEIB in the workplace.

Bosch offers its students an opportunity to explore Germany during their co-op terms by pairing them with Germany university students, offering vacation time and helping students find accommodations.

Liberty helps students develop a sustainability mindset by participating in initiatives that advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Dundas Life, a startup highly dependent on Waterloo co-op students, encourages an entrepreneurial perspective that provides meaningful work.

Geotab offers co-op students professional development opportunities in areas like branding, networking and resume writing.

Ceragen has co-op students conduct research in the lab to isolate organisms, conduct biochemical tests and extract food DNA with the goal of minimizing food insecurity around the world.

“This year’s Employer Impact Award recipients helped our students further develop an understanding of essential topics such as equity, diversity and inclusion and sustainability,” says Norah McRae, associate provost of CEE. “Through memorable work-integrated learning experiences, our students are better prepared to enter a changing workforce.”

CEE employers provide work-integrated learning opportunities for more than 25,000 co-op students. More than 7,500 employers from 60+ countries work with Waterloo to access student talent from the world’s largest co-op talent pool. Waterloo’s co-op and work-integrated learning programs help students develop skills that prepare them to tackle the workforce.

“Waterloo co-op employers continue to utilize our standout students by putting them in a position to succeed professionally,” says Ross Johnston, executive director of Co-operative Education. “By providing a highly inclusive and strong learning environment, it enables our students become future-ready.”

Learn more about the Employer Impact Awards and the process to apply each year.

Learn more about the winners

Impact in International Excellence:  Bosch  

The German-based manufacturing company, focused on developing innovative smart-home technologies, provides opportunities for students to design new machinery, analyze data, participate in meetings, run workshops, and coordinate with global engineering teams. 
They offer extensive onboarding experience to help students acclimatize to their new environment, which enhances the quality of their experience.
The company even   helps co-op student to arrange their accommodations and transportation as well as matching them with local German students to help them feel welcome.

Impact in Research: Ceragen

Located in Kitchener, Ontario, Ceragen is a growing biotechnology startup that was founded in University of Waterloo’s own Velocity incubator. Ceragen develops novel probiotics for the hydroponic greenhouse industry to increase its crop yields.
Waterloo co-op students play a key role in meeting research goals to advance results for the company’s products.
A Waterloo co-op student was even listed on a patent for a product they helped to develop during their co-op work term at Ceragen.

Impact in Student Experience: Geotab

Geotab is a global leader in fleet tracking and telematics solutions. They have more than four million vehicles connected to their platform and hire co-op students to work in all departments of their operation.
Geotab believes that student innovation is key. The company embraces the fresh perspectives and diverse ideas that students bring on their work terms.
Each term, Geotab holds intern appreciation week to celebrate student accomplishments. Students feel valued and connected with their teams, even in the hybrid work environment.

Impact in Innovation: Dundas Life

Fast-growing Canadian fintech company, Dundas Life strives to make insurance purchases simpler for Canadians. Founded in 2020, the company’s emphasis is on innovation and resiliency.  
Co-op students at Dundas life play a significant role in taking dated insurance practices to the next level. Students work on a small team, allowing for 1:1 feedback and the opportunity to learn directly from leaders. 
Dundas life encourages an entrepreneurial mindset and offers students exciting projects to work on like directing marketing ads and videos using artificial intelligence.

Impact in Sustainability: Liberty Utilities

With ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals for the future, Liberty Utilities aims to achieve a net-zero emissions goal by 2050.  
Co-op students are an integral part of the team at Liberty. Students develop a sustainability mindset that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.   
Co-op students help to bring up-and-coming technologies to the team at Liberty and share their passions to create a sustainable future.

Impact in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Loopio

Loopio is a multi-national remote-first company that helps clients streamline their response process for request for proposals, different types of questionnaires, and other kinds of sales requests.
Having built a strong foundation for inclusion and belonging, Loopio believes in creating a safe workplace where employees from all backgrounds and identities feel respected, valued and have opportunities to share their ideas and grow.
Co-op students working at Loopio have unique opportunities to engage in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging training programs, workshops and resource groups.