Sheridan’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) practitioners formed a new community, bringing together 100+ faculty and staff across various Faculties and departments. Together, this group enables over 7,000 students each year to obtain WIL experiences in apprenticeship, field placement/experience, mandatory professional practice, cooperative education, and internship.
The WIL Hub Team was thrilled to host over 40 WIL practitioners at the Davis Campus and Trafalgar Campus launch events on October 31 and November 1. To kick off the sessions, WIL practitioners shared key words that describe their personal definition of a community of practice, resulting in a group word cloud:
Next, the WIL Hub Team provided an update on supports and resources developed to-date and provided a demonstration of the new WIL Community of Practice virtual community (in SLATE). This online collaborative space will continue to be available to WIL practitioners as a platform to ask questions, consult with other practitioners, and share best practice strategies and documents.
At the event, the practitioners also gathered in groups to discuss relevant topics, including: how to support international students and all students going abroad; reducing barriers for students with disabilities in WIL programs; their personal/program needs from a community of practice; and how a new strategy for employer and community partner relations will support their work. Subject-matter experts from the International Centre, Accessible Learning, Cooperative Education and the WIL Hub were available to answer questions and to collect ideas for the future of the Community of Practice.
Although this was only a starting point, the WIL Hub wishes to thank the WIL practitioners who were able to attend the events, and who have connected to share their enthusiasm for new WIL-related information.
Plans are underway for a winter event, and in the meantime, new resources and tools will continue to be posted via the virtual community. If you have any questions about the Community of Practice or the WIL Hub, please contact any member of the WIL Hub Team:
- Matthew Rempel, Associate Dean, Career Education and Co-curricular Learning
- Joanne Islip, Project Manager, Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Hub
- Alice O’Carroll, Project Manager, Employer Relations
- Jordan Carlson, Business Analyst
- Andrew Staples, Coordinator, International Experiential Learning
The WIL Hub is funded in part by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU).