United Nations (UN) SDGs put in action by Co-op

• UVic Co-op and Career supports the World Partnership Walk each year to engage the community to fight global poverty and educate about global food security. Thanks to the work of UVic faculty champions, the university raises more than any other post-secondary institution towards this goal. UVic students are able to volunteer to organize the UVic walk and gain co-curricular record credit at UVic for this experience. Here's a profile of a faculty champion.

• UVic's Strategic Framework Experiential Learning Fund (SF-ELF) helps businesses to hire co-op students, including a wage subsidy for not-for-profits and Indigenous community organizations to cover a portion of the cost of hiring a co-op student for a work term (up to $5,000).

• In 2020 and through 2021, Co-op and Career secured $1.83 million from the Ministry of Advanced Education (the most funding received by any single institution at 20.3% of funding) to support 14 co-op and work-integrated learning projects, including the creation of the CanWork pilot program, which supported UVic students who identify as having a disability or mental health challenges to take part in paid, degree-related work experience. Job coaches helped students master their tasks, achieve independence and contribute to the workplace. Eighty-eight students took part in the pilot during the first year. 
• The Indigenous Co-op Program at UVic is a partnership between Co-op and Career and the Office of Indigenous Academic & Community Engagement and provides culturally relevant co-op work term opportunities and one-on-one support to Indigenous students at UVic. 
• UVic led the creation of the Indigenous Co-op/Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Resource HUB (another project funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education), which developed 13 resources and 4 videos that support Indigenous student access, retention and success in WIL programs and placements. The resources include resources on: (1) self-identifying on a job application, (2) tokenism, (3) partnership and representation, (4) program accessibility, and (5) responding to the TRC Calls to Action.

• A variety of new roles were added to the Co-op and Career team in 2021/22, including employer development officers focused on equity and diversity as well as support for the optional and professional program areas, an equity and diversity career advisor, and an accessibility and inclusion co-op coordinator.

• All students and employers can access support related to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

• Co-op students work for municipal, provincial and federal government agencies, often contributing to research that informs social policy.
• Two new committees were formed in 2021/22: a cross-unit committee of Co-op and Career staff members struck to identify and address opportunities related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as a committee focused on developing a revised curriculum for students.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 90 employer organizations (or 7%) were actively working to support UN SDG 1. 35 employers (or 3%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 1.

Student experiences 

• UVic's award-winning Indigenous International Work-Integrated Learning Exchance Program connects Indigenous students studying at UVic with co-op work terms with Indigenous centres at universities in Australia and New Zealand. This program was recognized by the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) in 2019, when it was awarded the Panorama Award. It also received the 2019 British Columbia Council for Internaiontal Education (BCCIE)'s Award for Outstanding Program in International Education.
• UVic Indigenous studies and environmental studies student Hannah Gentes put her double major to use while working as an Environmental and Social Analyst with Two Worlds Consulting. The Indigenous environmental and social consultancy provides impact assessment and community engagement services to government organizations, industry and Indigenous Nations.
• Chloe, a third-year biology student, shared her experience of participating in CanWork in this Facebook post written by Co-op and Career. 
• Several students were featured in this video about CanWork and TeenWork that speaks about the importance of supporting students who identify as having a disability to gain hands-on work experience. 

Goal 2.5.1:

• UVic Co-op and Career supports the World Partnership Walk each year to engage the community to fight global poverty and educate about global food security. Thanks to the work of UVic faculty champions, the university raises more than any other post-secondary institution towards this goal. UVic students are able to volunteer to organize the UVic walk and gain co-curricular record credit at UVic for this experience. Here's a profile of a faculty champion.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 63 employer organizations (or 5%) were actively working to support UN SDG 2. Within these organizations, 30 employers (or 2%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 2.

Student experiences

• Science student Chloe Leroy worked with the Universidad Catolica del Maule (UCM) in Chile to research ways to address deadly salmon pathogens. Her research will help scientists develop ways to treat antibiotic-resistant strains in farmed or wild populations of salmon.
• Asiyah Robinson is a UVic co-op alumna who served as a World Partnership Walk Day volunteer and then a leader on the core team. As the Director of Youth Engagement with the walk, Asiyah endeavoured to create a space for international students to feel welcome and engaged. “I love approaching other youth, helping them to feel settled, and empowering them to have an impact on a global scale.” 
• Biochemistry co-op student Yunkun Li gained real-world experience at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, working with renowned research scientist Dr. Aimé Messiga. Together, they create soil and nutrient improvements leading to better crop yields, more sustainable practices and environmental protection. 
• UVic professors Paul Schur, Amy Verdun and Merwin Engineer were the faculty champions of the 2018 World Partnership Walk, and UVic student volunteers were key coordinators of the event. 

• UVic Co-op has strong relationships with provincial government in the health information science sector to address the health and well-being of our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Co-op and Career partnered with the Faculty of Engineering to successfully apply for funding through Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada’s iHUB program. The funding is part of the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Program and supported 65 students as they consulted with industry partners and community members to develop an online course for coastal communities working engage in kelp aquaculture. In collaboration with experts, the students developed online learning materials and peer support forums that follow appropriate onscreen protocols for engagement with Indigenous communities. Additionally, the computer science students created a satellite data system to track ideal kelp growth areas. The end result of this project was a kelp portal on the Compute Canada cloud computing platform.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 317 employer organizations (or 23%) were actively working to support UN SDG 3. Within these organizations, 230 employers (or 17%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 3.

Student experiences

• Physical health and recreation student Jacob Cook jumped at the opportunity to work with the Pacific Institute for Sports Excellence facility (PISE), a local non-profit organization that creates active living opportunities for children and adults of all levels and abilities.
• UVic biology and psychology student Sarah Jones wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. As a hand hygiene ambassador for Island Health, the co-op student was hired to promote and analyze hand hygiene processes in Greater Victoria. Jones was part of the infection prevention and control team, which has been working to improve patients’ quality of care and to support healthcare workers. She performed close to 1,500 hand hygiene observations at three different Island Health sites. 
• UVic computer science and health information co-op student Yichun Zhao worked at AOT Technologies in Victoria, where he helped build a computer program used by Service BC to
  manage the complicated process followed by people who have returned to the
  province during COVID-19.
• Engineering co-op student Darian Langler was hired by Starfish Medical to help quickly design, develop and produce 30,000 reliable, cost-effective ventilators in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• UVic Indigenous studies and environmental studies student Hannah Gentes put her double major to use while working as an environmental and social analyst with Two Worlds Consulting. 
• Health information science student Andrew Abuleal spent a co-op work term at Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, where he supported the implementation of the MEDITECH Expanse electronic health record system, which made it easier for carer providers to keep records and fostered safer, more comfortable experiences for patients.

• A variety of new roles were added to the Co-op and Career team in 2021, including employer development officers focused on equity and diversity as well as support for the optional and professional program areas, an equity and diversity career advisor, and an accessibility and inclusion co-op coordinator.

• Two new committees were formed in 2021/22: a cross-unit committee of Co-op and Career staff members struck to identify and address opportunities related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as a committee focused on developing a revised curriculum for students.

• Co-op and Career works closely with the Centre for Accessible Learning so that those who attend our events have access to accessible support, including American Sign Language interpreters.

• Along with elevating Career Services into its own website brand, we also created a term Associate Director position for Career Services.  Using funding from carry-forward funds, this position will focus on assessing the leadership needs for this team, looking at different models to bridge the career educators across all departments to create a newly envisioned Career Services team, drafting a fulsome job description for the position and exploring different models of Career Services at comparator universities.

• In March 2020, due to COVID-19, we transitioned Career Services to a virtual environment. In addition to online appointments, we offered a new “just in time” drop in option, allowing students to meet with their Career Educator three times a week with no need to book ahead of time.
• In 2020/21, our events team collaborated with UBC and SFU to launch the West Coast Virtual Career Fair, a series of online career fairs that ran in November 2020, March 2021 and October 2021.. More than 8,500 students and 600 employers took part in this series of online career fairs.
• Networking events like the What can you do with your degree series and Success in the humanities and fine arts event
• Indigenous student mock interview clinic and career fair
• Virtual career fair for students from international pathways
• Employer information sessions
• Weekly workshops to support students' career development
• Free career programs including Horizons and Navigator

• We continued to offer regular career workshops, which have historically been strongly attended, and more deliberately timed résumé and interview workshops. Collaborations eased the online transition and support for students. For example, in conjunction with International Student Services we delivered workshops for international students searching for jobs during COVID-19.

• Our online career exploration program, Horizons (now called Career Clarity), designed for senior students, recent graduates and alumni underwent a substantial revision during the summer following the onset of COVID-19. We switched to a six-week scheduled program rather than self-paced delivery and added several activities designed to facilitate meaningful reflection.

• UVic Co-op and Career facilitates cultural intelligence (CQ) training based on the Cultural Intelligence Model. All staff receive this training, and co-op students learn about CQ during their Introduction to Professional Practice (IPP) course. Students outside of co-op also have access to this curriculum.

• Co-op and Career partners with Camosun to promote co-op as a hiring strategy for local employers through agreements with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and WestShore Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members hire students and students who contribute to the local economy and often find full-time employment with Chamber members after graduation.
• UVic has partnered with Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster to address the digital skills gap and issues related to equity, diversity and inclusion in engineering and computer science sectors. 

• A strong relationship has been developed with Continuing Studies over the past several years. Topics of mutual interest include: Micro-credentials (that is, the concept of partnering on providing micro-WIL experiences for new graduates and mid-career learners); WILL (that is, the concept of partnering on work-integrated and life-long learning); and Career Services (we have initiated a Service-Level Agreement with Continuing Studies to provide a dedicated Career Educator for DCS for students studying in their English Language programs).  This SLA model is currently being explored with other units.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 216 co-op employer organizations (or 16%) were actively working to support UN SDG 4. Within these organizations, 151 employers (or 11%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 4.

Student experiences

• Sydney Moore is an Indigenous Studies and Canadian History student, who is Métis, mixed with Anishinaabe, Cree and French ancestry. Sydney worked at Walanga Muru at Macquarie University on the territory of the Wattamattagal people of the Darug Nation. Moore was responsible for running cultural knowledge sharing workshops, administrative tasks, and mini-university camps.
• Upper-year student Emma Ulveland shared her journey about finding work while at university in the Meet Me in the Quad podcast series. 
  
• Over the past five years, Used.ca has hired over a dozen UVic co-op students. Most recently, Used.ca welcomed commerce student Nick Head as a marketing assistant, and his background in information technology has proven to be extremely valuable to the company. Head's supervisor is a huge advocate for the co-op program. “At the end of each term, I’m amazed by how much I’ve learned from our students,” she says. “We mentor them in the early days of their careers and, in return, they help us become better leaders.” 
  

Student experiences gained through the WACE Global Challenge

The WACE Global Challenge is an experiential learning project that connects student teams from across the world with organizations to create sustainable impact initiatives. In 2020 and 21, UVic students participated in team-based projects addressing several SDGs. This aligns with 4.3.4 as an example of educational outreach activities beyond campus.

Goal 5.6.8: Policies protecting those reporting discrimination:

• All students and employers can access support related to equity, diversion and inclusion in the workplace. 

Goal 5.3.1: Women's access schemes: 

• UVic Co-op and Career supports the World Partnership Walk each year to engage the community to fight global poverty and educate about global food security. Thanks to the work of UVic faculty champions, the university raises more than any other post-secondary institution towards this goal. UVic students are able to volunteer to organize the UVic walk and gain co-curricular record credit at UVic for this experience. Here's a profile of a faculty champion.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 254 co-op employer organizations (or 19%) were actively working to support UN SDG 5. Within these organizations, 142 employers (or 10%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 5.

Student experiences

• UVic Indigenous studies and art history/visual studies student Mel Granley helped curate the Legacy Gallery's "On Beaded Ground" exhibit, which explores the essential role of Indigenous womens' beading practices in the reclamation and renewal of culture, identify, stories and teachings.

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 126 co-op employer organizations (or 9%) were actively working to support UN SDG 6. Within these organizations, 68 employers (or 5%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 6.

Student experiences 

• UVic commerce student Nancy Nguyen joined the BC Parks team as a program assistant. She helped BC Parks provide high quality, safe outdoor recreation that protects the natural environment.
• Geography and biology student Abby Matheson found herself immersed in British Columbia’s natural beauty when she accepted a job with biological consulting company Ecofor. The role took her to the province’s north, where she encountered plant and animal diversity in remote field biology. “I was constantly learning something new,” she says of her experience with Ecofor, where she worked as a technician on the Natural Resources Team. “I drew on my biology minor to identify local plants and species, and my geography knowledge laid the groundwork to understand how GPS systems were used in the field.”

Goal 8.4.1: Proportion of students taking part in work placements for more than a month: 

• In 2021/22, UVic students completed 4,355 placements, increasing 17.1% over the previous year. Students earned an average of $3,082 per month. 

Goal 8.2.3: Employment policy on discrimination:

• All students and employers can access support related to equity, diversion and inclusion in the workplace. 

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 218 co-op employer organizations (or 16%) were actively working to support UN SDG 8. Within these organizations, 133 employers (or 10%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 8.

Student experiences

• Co-op and Career partners with Camosun to promote co-op as a hiring strategy for local employers through agreements with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and WestShore Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members hire students and students who contribute to the local economy and often find full-time employment with Chamber members after graduation.

Student experiences gained through the WACE Global Challenge

The WACE Global Challenge is an experiential learning project that connects student teams from across the world with organizations to create sustainable impact initiatives. In 2020 and 2021, UVic students participated in team-based projects addressing several SDGs. 

Goal 9: 

• Co-op and Career work closely with the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) through the Government of Canada to help employers secure funding that allows them to hire UVic co-op students in a range of industries. These hands-on experience are vital for connecting students with innovative industries; the organizations in turn benefit from students' knowledge and skill

• Along with elevating Career Services into its own website brand, we also created a term Associate Director position for Career Services.  Using funding from carry-forward funds, this position will is focusing on assessing the leadership needs for this team, looking at different models to bridge the career educators across all departments to create a newly envisioned Career Services team, drafting a fulsome job description for the position, and exploring different models of Career Services at comparator universities.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 304 co-op employer organizations (or 22%) were actively working to support UN SDG 9. Within these organizations, 207 employers (or 15%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 9.

Student experiences gained through the WACE Global Challenge

The WACE Global Challenge is an experiential learning project that connects student teams from across the world with organizations to create sustainable impact initiatives. In 2020 and 2021, UVic students participated in team-based projects addressing several SDGs. 

• In 2020 and through 2021, Co-op and Career secured $1.83 million from the Ministry of Advanced Education (the most funding received by any single institution at 20.3% of funding) to support 14 co-op and work-integrated learning projects, including the creation of the CanWork pilot program, which supported UVic students who identify as having a disability or mental health challenges to take part in paid, degree-related work experience. Job coaches helped students master their tasks, achieve independence and contribute to the workplace. Eighty-eight students took part in the pilot during the first year. 

• A variety of new roles were added to the Co-op and Career team in 2021, including employer development officers focused on equity and diversity as well as support for the optional and professional program areas, an equity and diversity career advisor, and an accessibility and inclusion co-op coordinator.

• Two new committees were formed in 2021: a cross-unit committee of Co-op and Career staff members struck to identify and address opportunities related to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as a committee focused on developing a revised curriculum for students.

• All students and employers can access support related to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

• UVic's award-winning Indigenous International Work-Integrated Learning Exchance Program connects Indigenous students studying at UVic with co-op work terms with Indigenous centres at universities in Australia and New Zealand. This program was recognized by the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) in 2019, when it was awarded the Panorama Award. It also received the 2019 British Columbia Council for Internaiontal Education (BCCIE)'s Award for Outstanding Program in International Education.
• The Indigenous Co-op Program at UVic is a partnership between Co-op and Career and the Office of Indigenous Academic & Community Engagement and provides culturally relevant co-op work term opportunities and one-on-one support to Indigenous students at UVic. 
• UVic led the creation of the Indigenous Co-op/Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Resource HUB (another project funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education), which developed 13 resources and 4 videos that support Indigenous student access, retention and success in WIL programs and placements. The resources include resources on: (1) self-identifying on a job application, (2) tokenism, (3) partnership and representation, (4) program accessibility, and (5) responding to the TRC Calls to Action.
• UVic Co-op and Career supports the World Partnership Walk each year to engage the community to fight global poverty and educate about global food security. Thanks to the work of UVic faculty champions, the university raises more than any other post-secondary institution towards this goal. UVic students are able to volunteer to organize the UVic walk and gain co-curricular record credit at UVic for this experience. Here's a profile of a faculty champion.

• In anticipation of the provincial legislation requiring all post-secondary institutions’ websites to be fully web accessible, Co-op and Career received funding to hire a web accessibility expert to assess, review and rewrite content from our online PDF curriculum. This included developing a digitally accessible web tool that amalgamates content from three previous PDF series into a single space where students can access discipline-related information about career options, competencies and hands-on learning opportunities. This ongoing project is now focused on migrating PDF content into accessible web content.

• Along with elevating Career Services into its own website brand, we also created a term Associate Director position for Career Services. Using funding from carry-forward funds, this position is focusing on assessing the leadership needs for this team, looking at different models to bridge the career educators across all departments to create a newly envisioned Career Services team, drafting a fulsome job description for the position and exploring different models of Career Services at comparator universities.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Co-op and Career surveys employers about how their work supports the UN SDGs. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 198 co-op employer organizations (or 15%) were actively working to support UN SDG 10. Within these organizations, 102 employers (or 8%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 10.

Student experiences 

• Juraj is finishing his studies in UVic’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. During his studies he completed two co-op work terms with the Government of Canada’s Department of Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC), Treaties & Aboriginal Governance division.  
• UVic Indigenous studies and environmental studies student Hannah Gentes put her double major to use while working as an environmental and social analyst with Two Worlds Consulting. The environmental and social consultancy provides impact assessment and community engagement services to government organizations, industry and Indigenous Nations. 
  
• Chloe, a third-year biology student, shared her experience of participating in CanWork in this Facebook post written by Co-op and Career. 
  
• Several students are featured in this video about CanWork and TeenWork that speaks about the importance of supporting students who identify as having a disability to gain hands-on work experience. 

Goal 11.4.2: Promote sustainable communities: 

• Co-op and Career staff support the Bike to Work Week initiative several times per year, with staff forming teams to encourage sustainable commuting. 

Goal 11.4.3: Allow remote working: 

• By supporting staff to work from home two days a week, Co-op and Career is helping to reduce employee commuting.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Co-op and Career surveys employers about how their work supports the UN SDGs. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 213 co-op employer organizations (or 16%) were actively working to support UN SDG 11. Within these organizations, 130 employers (or 10%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 11.

Student experiences 

• At Winchester Galleries, University of Victoria art history and visual studies student Anahita Ranjbar (centre) applied her academic knowledge to the professional art market. As a gallery assistant, the co-operative education (co-op) student was responsible for curating, documenting and advertising exhibitions. Anahita, an international student from Iran, is grateful for the experience Winchester Galleries has given her. “I’ve learned a lot about Canadian art history, different approaches to art in Canadian culture and the role of artists in Canadian society,” she says. 

Goal 12.2.6: Policy for reduction of disposable items: Co-op and Career has been actively reducing the number of printed publications and materials and shifting to digital whenever possible. This has included:

• Creating QR codes to direct stakeholders to visit the Co-op and Career website for audience-specific information, rather than printing and distributing specialized publications.
• In anticipation of the provincial legislation requiring all post-secondary institutions’ websites to be fully web accessible, Co-op and Career received funding to hire a web accessibility expert to assess, review and rewrite content from our online PDF curriculum. This included developing a digitally accessible web tool that amalgamates content from three previous PDF series into a single space where students can access discipline-related information about career options, competencies and hands-on learning opportunities. This ongoing project is now focused on migrating PDF content into accessible web content.

• Co-op and Career was successful in being prioritized by the Strategic Web Advisory Group to have our C+C website redeveloped into two new websites (one for co-op and the other to elevate Career Services into its own brand). We began working closely with University Communications + Marketing to develop these new websites based on user discovery and feedback and with a focus on accessible consumption for all. The project moved so efficiently that we will be ready to launch in mid-July, three months ahead of schedule. This project was also complemented by the COWIL funding received for website accessibility enhancement.

• Creating accessible versions of all remaining PDFs to encourage digital access.

• In 2021, in response to COVID-19 and the move to online learning, COOP undertook a shift to incorporate learning technologies into our co-op-wide Introduction to Professional Practice Course (IPP).  All co-op students are required to take IPP as co-requisite for their work term enrolment and yearly, more than 2,400 students enrol in our IPP courses.

• In order to reduce the number of TA hours devoted to IPP courses, COOP has moved to a AI software platform that enhances student engagement and embeds career readiness through AI driven résumé enhancements, tailored mock interviews and personalized engagement tools. Further, this software supports our Career Services mandate, as well, by providing university-wide career readiness supports for all students at the university that is both accessible, innovative and interactive. Students can access this software anywhere they may be studying or working, locally or internationally, at their convenience.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2018 and December 2020, 160 co-op employer organizations (or 12%) were actively working to support UN SDG 12. Within these organizations, 95 employers (or 7%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 12.

Student stories

• UVic commerce co-op student Jamil Bhimji made an impact at BinBreeze, a Victoria-based company that is changing the future of composting food waste.
• UVic commerce student Nancy Nguyen joined the BC Parks team as a program assistant. She helped BC Parks provide high quality, safe outdoor recreation that protects the natural environment.

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 197 co-op employer organizations (or 14%) were actively working to support UN SDG 13. Within these organizations, 106 employers (or 8%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 13.

Student experiences

•  UVic commerce student Nancy Nguyen joined the BC Parks team as a program assistant. She helped BC Parks provide high quality, safe outdoor recreation that protects the natural environment.
• UVic commerce co-op student Jamil Bhimji made an impact at BinBreeze, a Victoria-based company that is changing the future of composting food waste.

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 85 co-op employer organizations (or 6%) were actively working to support UN SDG 14. Within these organizations, 52 co-op students (or 4%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 14.

Student experiences 

• Science student Chloe Leroy worked with the Universidad Catolica del Maule (UCM) in Chile to research ways to address deadly salmon pathogens. Her research will help scientists develop ways to treat antibiotic-resistant strains in farmed or wild populations of salmon.
• UVic commerce student Nancy Nguyen joined the BC Parks team as a program assistant. She helped BC Parks provide high quality, safe outdoor recreation that protects the natural environment.
• Geography student Nhan (Young) Nguyen spent a co-op term with the Comox Valley Project Watershed, working with a marine conservation project as a field and research assistant. “My role was to research, survey and identify potential spawning habitats of forage fish, namely Pacific sand lance and surf smelt in the northern Salish Sea,” he says. “On top of literature research, I developed a GIS predictive model to narrow down potential sampling sites, conducted survey sampling and coordinated volunteers.” 

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 104 co-op employer organizations (or 8%) were actively working to support UN SDG 14. Within these organizations, 66 employers (or 5%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 15.

Student experiences 

• Geography and biology student Abby Matheson found herself immersed in British Columbia’s natural beauty when she accepted a job with biological consulting company Ecofor. The role took her to the province’s north, where she encountered plant and animal diversity in remote field biology. “I was constantly learning something new,” she says of her experience with Ecofor, where she worked as a technician on the Natural Resources Team. “I drew on my biology minor to identify local plants and species, and my geography knowledge laid the groundwork to understand how GPS systems were used in the field.”
• UVic commerce student Nancy Nguyen joined the BC Parks team as a program assistant. She helped BC Parks provide high quality, safe outdoor recreation that protects the natural environment.

Goal 16.2.4: Participatory bodies for stakeholder engagement: 

• Co-op and Career staff invite employers to share their experiences within the co-op program as well as the needs of their industries and hiring trends.

Goal 16.3.3: Participation in government research: 

• Students from across academic program areas complete co-op work terms conducting research for municipal, provincial and federal government, including contributing to policy development.

Goal 16.3: 

• In 2020 and 2021, Co-op and Career partnered with the Government of Canada to facilitate the Federal Student Ambassador Program on campus. We worked with the office of the Deputy Minster University Champion John Ossowski, who was president of the Canada Border Services Agency, which provided two part-time federal student ambassadors that support campus-wide recruitment for federal career development. 

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 111 co-op employer organizations (or 8%) were actively working to support UN SDG 16. Within these organizations, 63 employers (or 5%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 16.

• UVic Co-op and Career supports the World Partnership Walk each year to engage the community to fight global poverty and educate about global food security. Thanks to the work of UVic faculty champions, the university raises more than any other post-secondary institution towards this goal. UVic students are able to volunteer to organize the UVic walk and gain co-curricular record credit at UVic for this experience. Here's a profile of a faculty champion.
• Co-op and Career partners with Camosun to promote co-op as a hiring strategy for local employers through agreements with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and WestShore Chamber of Commerce. Chamber members hire students and students who contribute to the local economy and often find full-time employment with Chamber members after graduation.
• Students from across academic program areas complete co-op work terms conducting research for municipal, provincial and federal government, including contributing to policy development.
• Co-op and Career partners with the Government of Canada to facilitate the Federal Student Ambassador Program on campus. We work with the office of the Deputy Minster University Champion John Ossowski, who is president of the Canada Border Services Agency, which provides two part-time federal student ambassadors that support campus-wide recruitment for federal career development. 
• UVic's Strategic Framework Experiential Learning Fund (SF-ELF) provides financial support to help businesses to hire co-op students. Funding for employers includes a wage subsidy for not-for-profits and Indigenous community organizations to cover a portion of the cost of hiring a co-op student for a work term (up to $5,000).

Goal 17.2.1 and 17.2.2: Cross sectoral dialogue about SDGs: 

• Co-op and Career staff invite employers to share their experiences within the co-op program as well as the needs of their industries and hiring trends as part of the employer advisory panel, which meets several times per year.

In the workplace

UVic co-op employers answer a survey about their workplace each year. Of the 1,360 employer organizations who responded to the survey between May 2020 and December 2021, 135 co-op employer organizations (or 10%) were actively working to support UN SDG 17. Within these organizations, 82 employers (or 6%) believed that co-op students' work contributed to projects related to the UN SDG 17.

Student experiences

• Yamini Iyer spent several terms as a federal government student ambassador with the Government of Canada, where she helped educate students on career and work opportunities in the federal service.
• Lumin McKutcheon developed experience working in a wide range of sectors throughout her co-op experience, including as a business analyst with the Department of National Defence, where she applied her commerce knowledge. "Professional exposure applies and challenges the key takeaways I derived from coursework, while also allowing for the realization of linkages across various business areas."