Students in rural Eastern Ontario will have greater access to meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities thanks to more than $480,000 in funding awarded to Loyalist College through Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada’s Innovation Hub (iHub).
The grant will support the launch of Loyalist’s Rural Learning Initiative, a pilot program to remove transportation and cost barriers for up to 365 students completing field placements, clinical practicums and other WIL activities.
Loyalist College Senior Vice-President Academic and Chief Learning Officer Dr. Amanda Baskwill explains that WIL gives students the chance to apply their classroom learning in professional settings.
“Loyalist collaborates with employers in health care, community services, skilled trades, business and more to create opportunities for students to gain real workplace experience, build industry connections and take on responsibilities that strengthen their adaptability and problem-solving skills,” she says.
For rural learners, however, transportation logistics and costs can make participating in valuable WIL experiences challenging. “Many of our students live in communities without public transportation,” Dr. Baskwill stated.
“Without a personal vehicle or extensive planning, those students face limited access to WIL opportunities.”
The same barriers also create obstacles for urban-based learners completing placements in rural communities, preventing regional employers from connecting with the student talent they need to support their operations and future workforce.
Loyalist developed the Rural Learning Initiative to help bridge these access gaps.
Supported by funding from the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (I-WIL), the program will provide a variety of supports, including bursaries, ride-sharing and busing options, to make WIL sites across Northumberland, Hastings, Prince Edward, Lennox and Addington and Frontenac counties more accessible for Loyalist College students.
Eligible students can self-identify and apply for support under the program, with applications evaluated based on predefined criteria to ensure equitable access.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative.
Learn more about Work-Integrated Learning at Loyalist College at this link.
(BROCK ORMOND)
