Welcome to our latest edition of the Work-Learn Institutes Insight newsletter.
Our research has revealed that there are four components to creating a quality work-integrated learning (WIL) experience: learning, impact, relevance, and networking (LIRN). Providing your WIL students with quality work experiences will aid in future recruitment and support work performance and satisfaction, helping to build organizational commitment and productivity.
In this issue, we explore how you can help to increase the career relevancy of a work term experience and foster supportive social networks, creating work experiences that are mutually beneficial for your student workers, employees, and organization!
Looking for more insights? View previous Insight Newsletters:
4 tips for creating a relevant work experience:
- Provide an appropriate level of challenge and articulate that in your job description; our research shows students want to learn new things and make an impact at work. Learn about attracting the right applicants with your job posting, then download our free job description template.
- Facilitate social interaction with and among your student workers…keep reading to learn more about the benefits of workplace friendships!
- Learn how to identify lifelong learners – their curiosity and strategic thinking skills will help them find or create relevance in their work. Watch the recording of our recent Future-ready workforce event to learn how lifelong learners can benefit your organization.
- Create some alignment with the students’ career goals – leverage their unique skills andhelp them understand what transferable skills they have and support the growth of those skills. Keep reading to learn how a reciprocal mindset can help students find relevance in their work!
Keep reading to learn more about how you can ignite the spark in your workforce through building relationships and co-creating value.
Perks of WIL partnerships
(4-minute read)
Starting off a work term with the right mindset can help your student workers find relevance in their work and may result in unexpected beneficial outcomes for your organization! Learn what you can do as a supervisor, working together with your students, to ensure you both get the most out of your work-integrated learning (WIL) experience!
We came here to make friends
(2-minute read)
Workplace friendships are more than just fun, they can mean improved career development, job satisfaction, performance and more! Weve analyzed the factors that foster these relationships and have tips you easily implement now so workplace friendships can flourish!
More from WxL
The future-ready workforce series: The future of working together
September 21, 2022 | 1 to 2 p.m.
Join us to hear from Waterloo co-op students about their experiences working in remote and hybrid work settings. Researchers from Waterloos Work-Learn Institute (WxL) will also discuss recent findings about the importance of social interaction and relationships in remote and hybrid work contexts.