There are many ways to gain experience while studying at Centennial College. One such way is through Work-Integrated Learning.
What is Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)?
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a form of experiential education that combines students’ academic studies with experience in a workplace or practice setting. Work-Integrated Learning is offered to students through an agreement between the college and employers / industry partners. These experiences allow students to gain more understanding about the industry and increase their employability in the job market.
Learn about the differences between Work-Integrated Learning, Experiential Learning (part of your academic curriculum), and Extra-Curricular Activities (on and off campus) by visiting Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada.
What is the difference between co-op, placement, internship, and capstone?
Co-op, short for co-operative education, consists of alternating academic and work terms. During the work terms, students will be working full-time, and do not usually take any courses. Most co-op opportunities are paid and are related to the student’s field of study.
Not all programs at Centennial College offer co-op. Many programs in the School of Engineering, Technology & Applied Sciences (SETAS), The Business School (TBS), and School of Transportation (SoT) offer optional co-op.
You must apply to be accepted into the co-op stream, and must meet specific requirements. Once you are accepted into the co-op program, you will take a course to help you understand and apply the job search process to secure a co-op job.
If you are interested in co-op, start learning about the requirements, including course prerequisites and the application process as early as possible. You will receive an email in the semester in which you are able to apply. Learn more about co-op at Centennial College.
Some programs offer a placement, also referred to as field placements or clinical placements, depending on your program of study. They offer experience within an industry, are unpaid, and typically done on a part-time basis, while still enrolled in courses. Some placements are scheduled after you have completed all of your academic courses. Placements in certain programs are mandatory for students to complete.
Some programs at Centennial offer an internship as part of the program, and they are another way to gain experience in your industry. Internships may be paid or unpaid, and may be part-time or full-time.
Some programs include a capstone project, a major final project, where students have the opportunity to apply learning outcomes from program coursework towards completing a project with industrial or business applications.
To find out what is offered with your program, look at the list of courses you will be taking throughout your program by visiting your program page.
Hear from International Alumni...
"During my time at Centennial, I participated in many activities on campus. In the second semester, I started working as a Math Tutor and was also elected as Campus Director for CCSAI. In my last semester, I also got hired as a Student Researcher and selected as Volunteer of the Year. Being so active created great networking opportunities to connect with professors, staff members and other students. I secured my first job opportunity by a referral from a peer that I previously tutored."- Hardeep Singh, Architectural Technology (2020) Read More.
How can Career Services help?
Career Services offers resources to help you prepare for co-op, placement, internship positions, including resume reviews and interview practice. We can also guide you on how to update your resume with the skills you have acquired through these various experiences.
Through Experience Centennial, our job and resource portal, we offer:
- Drop-ins and appointments to support you with any stage of your job search and career planning, including resume / cover letter review, LinkedIn review, job search planning, interview preparation and practice, and more.
- Downloadable tip sheets, resume and cover letter templates and samples for your program.
- Access to job postings and exclusive online tools to help with career planning, interview practice and networking.
Learn more about Career Services.
Accessing Experience Centennial
- Go to Experience Centennial
- Click on Students/Alumni.
- Sign in using your myCentennial user name and password.
Connect with Career Services
416.289.5233 | careerservices@centennialcollege.ca
@LaunchYourCareer (Instagram) | @ExperienceCentennial (Twitter)