During the pandemic, the federal government created wage subsidies to support employers so they could continue to offer work-integrated learning opportunities to students on campus and beyond.

Queen’s Experiential Learning Hub in Career Services has worked with these government-sponsored partners across many fields to access significant wage subsidies for positions filled by Queen’s students. In addition, through collaborations with over 30 departments and units across campus, four joint funding applications were submitted, resulting in more than $900,000 becoming available through wage subsidies this year to support work-integrated learning opportunities for students working at Queen’s.

Wading through the various eligibility criteria and filling out forms may not be everyone’s idea of excitement, but for project coordinator Derya Güngör, knowing that her work is helping to support student employment is pretty thrilling.

“We know the difference that work-integrated learning opportunities have for students, enriching their skills development and future career options,” she says. “It has been wonderful to see how many departments have dedicated time to offering students rich work experiences in their units. The wage subsidies have been a big help.”

From roles such as the equity ambassador in Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment in Student Affairs, to the communications coordinator in the Office of the Provost, and a great many more, students have been provided with genuine work experiences and their work has helped units to manage the challenges of working remotely.

“Working at Queen’s has truly elevated my experience as a student. I have been able to develop employable skills that will help me prepare for post-grad life, and I have also learned about future career opportunities that I didn’t know existed,” says Veronica Sewilski, a fifth-year Gender Studies student, and SOAR Student Lead for the Student Experience Office in Student Affairs.

While these federal wage subsidies are time-limited, there are still many ways employers can provide opportunities for students to combine work and learning. Faculty and staff with ideas and questions are invited to connect with the Experiential Learning Hub at el.hub@queensu.ca to hear more about successful ways of integrating work into a degree plan. Students who are interested in pursuing work integrated learning opportunities can reach out to the Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP) team at quip@queensu.ca.  All current job postings, including summer positions, are listed in MyCareer.