Work-integrated learning (WIL) at NIC

Work-integrated learning (WIL) means work experience that is related with academic credits. Common examples include co-op or internship terms that are completed as part of your program. WIL opportunities can be paid or unpaid and their duration can vary – but each offers the chance to build on your strengths, apply your learning and increase your confidence.

Co-op terms are a mandatory part of the Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Administration diploma and tourism and hospitality programs.

Internships are offered to students taking the following programs:

• Business Administration - Post Graduate Diploma - Global Business Management
• Business Administration - Post Graduate Diploma – Accounting
• Tourism and Hospitality Management - Post Graduate Diploma

Co-op consists of alternating academic terms and paid, full-time work terms. Each co-op work term lasts a minimum of 420 hours over a four-month period and takes place in a workplace that relates to the student’s field of study. The number of required work terms varies by program. For example, a four-year undergraduate degree can include three co-op terms, allowing students to graduate with 12 months of work experience.

Internships are a more flexible form of WIL. They vary in length and can be full-time or part-time and paid or unpaid. Internships can also take place while students are taking other classes or after all other coursework has been completed.

Yes! NIC’s Centre for Applied Research, Technology and Innovation (CARTI) connects students with applied research opportunities throughout the year. Students will spend two to eight months working on projects to address problems experienced by local organizations and businesses, usually through a mix of consulting, design or community-based research.

Trades apprenticeships and practicums also count as WIL – however, they are tied to formal industry or professional standards.

Apprenticeship students complete 20% of their training through technical instruction in the classroom. The remaining 80% is comprised of paid, on-the-job training through an employer (under the supervision of a certified journeyperson). Apprenticeship programs take between two and five years to complete.

Practicums are generally unpaid workplace placements that take place under qualified supervision. They are mandatory for any discipline that requires practice-based experience to obtain a professional licence or certification. Examples of NIC programs that include practicums include the Practical Nursing Diploma and the Early Childhood Care and Education Diploma.

Academic work experience incorporates one or two work terms throughout a program that are typically full-time. These terms are typically longer than a co-op.

Community service learning integrates relevant, objective-based work with a community-based organization as well as traditional classroom instruction.

Field placements offer students an intensive part-time or short-term learning experience in a setting that is relevant to their studies, but these are not required for professional certification.

Entrepreneurship opportunities allow students to engage in the early stages of a business start-up in exchange for academic credit.

Yes! For example, Bachelor of Business Administration and Business Administration Diploma students can are eligible to complete a co-op term in France as part of NIC’s exchange agreement with Université Savoie Mont Blanc. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our study abroad options.