CEWIL Resource Hub: Internship at the University of Calgary

Key success factors

• All internships are paid. Students don’t pay an internship fee; instead, they pay an application fee and tuition for a single course. 
• The application and selection process is more like real-world hiring than a rank-and-match placement system. Employers can post to an internship-specific job board anytime between October and September. Students apply for positions and are in control of their application timing. Employers conduct interviews, select students, and make offers, and students are committed once they accept. 
• The flexibility of the program means internships can be a 4, 8, or 12 month term. Employers can determine what length best meets their needs, and have the option to extend the internship. This flexibilty also benefits students interested in experiences with multiple employers.  
• Internship students have typically completed their third year of engineering, so their work quality and skill level is higher than a lower-year student.
• Employers seek the program out because they know students will be ready for higher-level tasks. 
  Academic faculty have been incredibly supportive of the internship program: they provide mentorship, help students find jobs, and supply industry connections. The program’s evolution and growth have been driven by faculty engagement. 

Unique characteristics

• This program aims to be the most flexible internship opportunity in Canada – both for employers and students. It's focused on giving students real-world work experience through a hiring and placement process that best mimics career search after graduation.

Challenges

• The program used to operate on a cyclical timeframe, but that’s become more difficult as it’s grown. Introducing more flexibility has helped.  
• The professional skill courses that accompany the internships were introduced five years ago and are due for an update; students aren’t always interested in taking them.  
• Students in the internship program are still learning how to behave professionally in many instances, and the program must respond to issues stemming from that behaviour (e.g. poor evaluations, dispute resolution, etc.). 
• The team within the Engineering Career Centre that handles the internship program is very small for the number of students who complete internships, so resources often feel stretched and constrained. 

Resources

• Engineering Internship Program

Key characteristics

• Type: Internship
• Year program was established: 1993
• Number of students per year: 566
• Number of employers/partners per year: 375
• Programs/academic disciplines participating: Engineering
• Duration of experience: 12-16 months
• Submitted by: Jenny Cruickshank