What kind of contribution can a student make to my organization?

A lot of articles emphasize that students want to be involved in meaningful work (see: ‘What kind of work do WIL students want to be involved in?’) which is great to know, but as an employer, you need to break that down and come up with actual tasks for each student to do. The following are the components that typically make up a WIL student position:

Project Assistance

Maybe you are growing but not quite ready to hire a new employee or you have projects that people just haven’t been able to get to. WIL students can be brought in to assist current employees in these areas. As they advance, they may have the ability to take on more responsibility.

Regular tasks

WIL students can provide an extra set of hands for accomplishing regular team tasks (running reports, putting together newsletters, updating websites, frontline support, etc.). Some employers designate a set of tasks to a WIL position, filled by a new student each term.

Innovation Work

WIL students are a great resource when it comes to generating innovative ideas and bringing a new perspective. Some organizations give students the opportunity to work on projects where they investigate or propose new ways of doing things.

A Mixture

An ideal position has a mix of different types of tasks. Project assistance work alone can stall if the employee being helped is busy with other things. Work that focuses only on regular tasks can feel less meaningful. Innovation work can vary greatly in scope and therefore duration. A blend of all three can provide a rich experience.