EDGE is an opt-in experiential education certificate program for undergraduate students in traditional (non-co-op) programs of study. If you complete EDGE, you will develop your professional skills, explore your career options and learn how to market yourself to employers.
You will complete six milestones as part of the EDGE certificate:
- a skills identification and articulation workshop, in which you practice recognizing your skills and expressing them to employers in a confident, concise fashion;
- a career development course, in which you develop core career-seeking skills and align your career goals with your values, skills and interests;
- three work or community experiences, in which you will explore a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom and reflect on your personal growth
- and a capstone workshop, in which you will tie everything together and develop an action plan for post-graduation success.
EDGE Certificate and PACS
Skills Identification and Articulation Workshop
- Complete a 1.5 hour workshop run by a CECA career advisor to practice recognizing your skills and expressing them to employers in a confident and concise fashion.
Career Development Course
- Complete PD1 EDGE “Career Fundamentals” online to develop your core career-seeking skills and align your career goals with values, skills and interests (ARTS 111 can replace this).
Three (3) Work or Community Experiences
- Explore a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom and reflect on your personal growth. You can complete these work or community experience milestones in three different ways:
- Complete an experiential learning course that includes a work-integrated learning component.
- Experiential learning courses must involve at least 18 hours of work with an industry or community partner in a term. Students who want to complete an EDGE milestone with an experiential learning course need to pass the course and submit a reflective assignment. The industry or community partner also needs to submit an evaluation of the student.
- Complete an on-campus experience such as a work or volunteer opportunities linked to the University's faculties, student societies, clubs, offices and services.
- On-campus experiences must involve at least 36 hours of work in a term. Students who want to receive an EDGE milestone for an on-campus experience need to complete a professional development (PD) course during the same term as their experience. They also need to submit a reflective assignment and their supervisor must submit an evaluation.
- Complete an off-campus experience that are non-University affiliated work or volunteer opportunities.
- Off-campus experiences must involve at least 36 hours of work in a term. Students who want to receive an EDGE milestone for an off-campus experience need to complete a professional development (PD) course during the same term as their experience. They also need to submit a reflective assignment and their supervisor must submit an evaluation of their performance.
- Complete an experiential learning course that includes a work-integrated learning component.
Capstone Workshop
- The capstone workshop helps you tie all of your experiences together and develop an action plan for post-graduation success. Students who complete the workshop will look back on their journey through EDGE and set themselves up with a post-graduation checklist designed to complement their career or study goals. This workshop is facilitated by a career advisor from CECA.
Note:
- Register for the EDGE Certificate online at uwaterloo.ca/edge
- Work experiences can be paid/unpaid, full-time/part-time, volunteer or otherwise
Sample Pathways of PACS Students
Sample 1:
| Fall Term | Winter Term | Spring Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | None (1A) | None (1B) | None (off) |
| Second Year | Skills Identification Workshop (2A) | PD1: Career Fundamentals (2B) | None (off) |
| Third Year | Volunteering with The Women's Centre & PD3: Communication (3A) | None (3B) | PACS 390: Internship |
| Fourth Year | Volunteering with the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support & PD8: Intercultural Skills (4A) | Capstone Workshop (4B) | N/A |
Sample 2:
| Fall Term | Winter Term | Spring Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | None (1A) | None (1B) | None (off) |
| Second year | Volunteering off-campus with House of Friendship food program & PD9: Ethical Decision Making (2A) | Skills Identification Workshop (2B) | PACS 390: Internship |
| Third year | PD1: Career Fundamentals (3a) | RS 291/ARTS 390: Encounter KW (3B) | None (off) |
| Fourth year | None (4A) | Capstone Workshop (4B) | N/A |
Sample 3:
| Fall Term | Winter Term | Spring Term | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year | None (1A) | PD1: Career Fundamentals (1B) | None (off) |
| Second year | None (2A) | Volunteering off-campus with House of Friendship food program & PD9: Ethical Decision Making (2B) | None (off) |
| Third year | Working with Ray of Hope & PD7: Conflict Resolution (3A) | Skills Identification Workshop (3B) | None (off) |
| Fourth year | PACS 395 Travel Course with Reading Week Trip (4A) | Capstone Workshop (4B) | N/A |