Award recipients

2012 Co-op Employer of the Year

2012 Co-op Employer of the Year

In December 2012, analytical research chemist Norman Crewe of Sidney's Institute of Ocean Sciences was named 2012 Co-op Employer of the Year from among seven outstanding employer partners nominated by Co-op and Career staff.

Since 1996, Crewe has hired two UVic co-op students per term, and many other IOS scientists also hire students. Crewe’s past students are grateful to him as a supervisor, especially appreciating his thorough training, guidance, feedback and challenging projects. "Norman puts much thought into deciding on an interesting dataset to assign each co-op student,” says biochemistry and microbiology co-op coordinator Rozanne Poulson. “He encourages co-op students to attend IOS open houses and weekly seminars on a variety of ocean research topics, and to network with graduate students and research scientists. He has become a lifelong mentor and friend of many co-op graduates who have worked in his lab.”

2011 Co-op Employer of the Year

2011 Co-op Employer of the Year

In December 2011, Recreation Integration Victoria was named our Employer of the Year.

RIV is an organization that provides socialization, life skills, and respite opportunities for people with disabilities through access to community-based leisure and recreation opportunities.

Hear from RIV staff about how they support co-operative education and the influence co-op students have in their workplace:

Since 1989, 63 students have worked for RIV on co-operative education work terms, with 14 of them returning for a second term!  For each of them, the RIV staff have provided thoughtful interview and orientation processes, and worked effectively with each to develop their competencies.  Students have been pushed outside their comfort zone, and thrived with the support and guidance they received as they developed into their roles.  Students report that working at RIV has impacted their motivations and interests and that their experience positively influenced their student life.

Not only did students learn about community living, integration and inclusiveness, they also learned where their interests and passions might take them. 

Says one co-op student:

"By working at RIV, I realized that I was interested in a career in health care.  I became very interested in the neurophysiology behind developmental disabilities. I began taking neuroscience courses, and now want to work toward a career involving neuroscience or work with people with developmental disabilities."

Congratulations to RIV!

Nominees

2012 nominees

2012 nominees

The following employers were nominated for the 2012 Co-op Employer of the Year award:

• Office of the Ombudsperson, Province of British Columbia
• Jim Lewis, Mineral Economist, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Resources – Mines and Minerals Division
• Schneider Electric
• Atlantic College, Extramural Centre (Wales, UK)
• Katherine Bleiker, Research Scientist – Bark Beetle Ecology, Natural Resources Canada – Pacific Forestry Centre
• John Misener, Environmental Technician, National Defence and Canadian Forces, Fleet Maintenance Facility (Cape Breton)
• Intergovernmental Relations and Planning Branch, Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development
  
• Norman Crewe, Analytical Chemist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Institute of Ocean Sciences

2011 nominees

2011 nominees

More than 1,200 employers hired UVic co-op students in 2011. Each of our employers are partners in education; the following employers were nominated for the 2011 Co-op Employer of the Year award:

• AbeBooks, Tim Munro
• BC Cancer Agency, Deeley Research Centre, Dr. Julian Lum
• BC Cancer Agency, Informatics, Jeff Barnett
• BC Ministry of Health, Aureleo Reyes
• BC Ministry of Transportation and infrastructure, Properties and Business Management Branch, Lesley Nicholl
• College of Applied Biology, Linda Michaluk
• District of Saanich, GIS, Nicola Parfett
• Eco Care Technologies, Diane Parker
• MARPAC, National Defence and the Canadian Forces, Margot Cutcher
• Neverblue, Dawn Robson
• Recreation Integration Victoria, Doug Nutting, Bonnie Blacklock, and Faye Cawsey
• Schneider Electric
• Transvergence interactive Inc., Brad Williams
• Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Monica Muller

Criteria

Employers are nominated for ‘Employer of the Year’ by Co-op and Career staff.

All nominees have demonstrated excellence in accordance with the following criteria:

• history of hiring UVic students
• creating valuable learning opportunities for students, including competency development and access to challenging projects or assignments
• going above and beyond to support students on work-term, including providing personal support, an assigned mentor, professional development or training opportunities
• supported on campus events, including financial or in-kind donations, attending ‘what you can do with a degree in’ events, information sessions, career fairs, interview clinics, networking events, poster sessions etc.