Past studies suggest that students from equity-deserving groups (EDGs) may face barriers in work-integrated learning (WIL). However, current studies lack representation of the student voice and focus on a single EDG. This study aimed to identify the major barriers experienced by WIL students on a co-operative education (co-op) journey from various EDGs. 

Equity-Deserving Groups Defined

Equity-deserving groups (EDGs) are communities that experience significant collective barriers to participating in society. EDGs include, but are not limited to: women, racialized peoples, members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities, people who identify as members of a racialized community, who exercise cultural and/or religious practices and any intersection of these identities.

Key findings 

  • Co-op students from EDGs face structural and non-structural barriers in WIL. These barriers affect the quality of students’ co-op experiences, and prevent an inclusive work-term experience: 

Structural barriers are policies and practices within a co-op program or employer organization that cause undue stress or roadblocks for students from EDGs. These include: 

  • information gaps in job postings, available resources and policies, and a lack of guidance in accommodating students’ needs. 

  • unfavorable policies (e.g., mandates for working in-person can result in increased incidences of microaggressions or discrimination), or lack of equity, diversity, and inclusion policies. 

  • lack of supervisors and coworkers' diversity and accommodation training. 

Non-structural barriers are invisible and encountered when interacting with WIL stakeholders, including: 

  • challenges for students in sharing or being open about belonging to one or more EDGs. This can cause pressure to censor and mask identity.  

  • internalized prejudice, where discrimination is perceived as normal and is expected by students from EDGs. 

  • self-exclusion from participating (partially or completely) in WIL experiences due to fear of discrimination. 

Does this matter to post-secondary institutions? YES! 

These findings are relevant to post-secondary institutions (PSI) aiming to create equitable WIL opportunities for students from EDGs. This study found that co-op students and staff may be unaware of policies and structures that are in place to support and accommodate students prior to and during a work term, even if they are available. PSIs should improve communication about co-op program requirements and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) resources. They should also listen to, and address students’ needs and concerns. To increase diversity and representation of EDGs in the workforce, PSI staff (e.g., co-op and academic advisors) should identify and address injustices by redistributing programming resources to students from EDGs.  

Does this matter to employers? YES! 

These findings are significant for employers (e.g., co-op supervisors) who aim to show a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Many of the barriers identified in this study are likely to exist in all workplaces but may be heightened for students who are from EDGs and new to the workforce. Employers should reflect on their biases towards students from EDGs to better support equal access to WIL and enhance talent acquisition and reputation. Employers should also be transparent about processes, timelines and expectations during the recruitment and onboarding process and performance evaluations. They can do so by using inclusive language and tailoring feedback to students’ cultural differences, learning preferences and personal goals. 

What can PSIs and employers do with this information? 

  • PSI co-op staff and employers can be trained and educated in diversity and accommodation policies. PSIs and employers can offer opportunities to staff to role-play and practice responses to potential issues related to EDI. 

  • PSIs can form strategic partnerships with employers to ensure open communication and provide adequate training on EDI to employers. PSIs can provide resources to employers to connect recruitment and retention strategies to all students. 

  • Employers should highlight their EDI commitment in job postings. They can do so by detailing how their values are practiced and the resources available to support students from EDGs. 

  • During onboarding, employers can send a welcome message that highlights EDI resources. They can arrange HR meetings for co-op students to discuss such resources. 

Conclusions 

This study emphasized the voices and experiences of co-op students from various EDGs. Analyses revealed that students from EDGs faced both structural and non-structural barriers on their co-op journey. The results of this study highlight the need for solutions and action to address these barriers by all WIL stakeholders. PSIs and employers should create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive WIL experience for all. 

How we came to these conclusions  

  • We conducted interviews with 30 co-op students who self-identified as belonging to at least one of five EDGs: international students, racial minorities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ and persons with disabilities.  

  • Interviewers were external researchers or graduate students who self-identified as members of at least one EDG, as defined above. 

  • We explored the nature of barriers that participants experienced and the location of those barriers, such as whether they were related to the co-op program (e.g., job application processes) or the work itself (e.g., employers’ policies and practices).