Work-Integrated Learning, or WIL, is an umbrella term that describes opportunities businesses have to work with post-secondary students, such as internships, co-op and field placements. These structured placements prepare students for work while allowing employers to build their skill, talent, and innovation pipeline.  

Each term, McMaster University, Mohawk College, and Redeemer University are looking for employers to host talented post-secondary students through (WIL) opportunities. From paid work placements as part of a diploma or degree program, to more flexible unpaid co-curricular experiences, there are a variety of WIL opportunities available that vary in length, cost, and time commitment. 

To learn more about WIL, please see the following resources: 

Why Use WIL?

Utilizing WIL provides businesses a chance to expand their workplace capacity, while aiding students develop their employability skills: https://bher.ca/wil-hub/explore-wil/wil-101 

WIL Categories

Workplace integrated learning takes many approaches to ensure students are gaining valuable work experience. There are many emerging models of WIL that BHER supports: https://bher.ca/wil-hub/explore-wil/types-wil 

Employer Benefits

Employers are able to evolve through WIL by hiring innovative students, gain higher productivity in the workplace, and grow their business: https://bher.ca/wil-hub/explore-wil/employer-wil-benefits-a-glance

Success Stories

BHER’s initiative has lead to numerous success stories across Canada, through solving business problems, and building an innovative, resilient workforce: https://bher.ca/wil-hub/explore-wil/canadian-success-stories 

Your WIL Placement

BHER provides prospective employers with a self-assessment designed to help employers better understand their capacity and WIL category, based on their workplaces current capacity: https://bher.ca/wil-hub/explore-wil/find-your-wil

WIL student tasks range anywhere from taking on a specific project, or picking up the general workload in the office. While WIL students will look to work in their prospective field to enhance their skills and knowledge, students will take on various tasks based on your needs, as well as the nature of their placement. WIL students are highly motivated to learn and take on new challenges, and bring with them a valuable skillset. 

Through this project, employers can hire talented students from diverse pipelines and majors including: 

• Business
• HR
• Advertising & Marketing
• Journalism & Public Relations
• Tourism
• Engineering
• Biotechnology
• Kinesiology 

Student Talent Connect supports businesses in the Hamilton area. We encourage all interested SMEs from various industries and backgrounds to contact us and explore WIL opportunities. Together with our university and college partners, we’ll work to determine if there is a good fit for a student placement. If not, we’ll work to provide you with alternative options.

Employers may explore various funding opportunities and financial incentives to host a work-integrated learning student. Interested employers are encouraged to refer to the Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit, the Ontario Innovation Tax Credit, or the Student Work Placement Program to learn more about their eligibility.