The Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) and the Centre for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) have introduced new financial awards to provide more students with access to work-integrated learning experiences. These awards aim to support students participating in various WIL opportunities, including unpaid experiences, which are valuable for gaining work experience and developing future-ready skills alongside academic studies.
At the University of Waterloo, paid co-op work terms are just one type of WIL experience available to students. Many students also choose to engage in other WIL opportunities such as the EDGE program, the University’s experiential education certificate program. While these unpaid experiences offer significant benefits, they may pose financial challenges for some students, particularly during difficult economic times.
The newly introduced awards will offer financial assistance to eligible students, with funding of up to $1,775 per term. For the spring term of 2024, domestic, permanent resident, and refugee status students participating in programs like WE Accelerate, EDGE Unpaid, and WIL Courses are eligible to receive these awards. Additionally, Enbridge has allocated funding specifically to support women in STEM participating in WE Accelerate, further enhancing opportunities for underrepresented groups in these fields.
The availability and amount of funding for these awards may vary each term. Currently, Co-operative Education, Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada’s Innovation Hub (iHub) is contributing to the funding, with the Centre for WIL securing contracts worth over $750,000 to support students. This financial support aims to remove barriers to participation in WIL experiences and ensure that all students have equal access to these valuable learning opportunities.
According to McDonald, a representative from CEE, the goal of these awards is to support students who are already engaged in WIL experiences or facing financial limitations that hinder their participation. By providing financial assistance, more students can benefit from work-integrated learning and enhance their skills and employability for future career opportunities.
In addition to the new financial awards, Professor Ihab Ilyas has been recognized with the prestigious 2024 C.C. Gotlieb Computer Award for his significant contributions to advancing computer science. His groundbreaking research in building large-scale machine learning systems for data integration, data cleaning, and knowledge construction has had a profound impact on academia and industry, leading to the development of successful start-up companies and influencing the field of data management.
Professor Ilyas’s work on automatic error detection, data cleaning, and generative AI models for data quality has paved the way for innovative technologies used by major companies like Apple. His contributions to data quality and data integration have not only shaped the research landscape but also led to the commercialization of cutting-edge solutions that address critical challenges in the field.
Overall, the introduction of new financial awards and the recognition of Professor Ilyas’s achievements highlight the importance of supporting students in accessing work-integrated learning experiences and advancing research in computer science. These initiatives contribute to creating a more inclusive and innovative learning environment that prepares students for success in their academic and professional endeavors.