Employers of the Year

Read full stories about the 2023 year's award winners.

Employer hiring for five years or less - Thornhhill Medical

As changemakers in the biomedical field who are creating medical devices to transform diagnostic and therapeutic patient care, the Thornhill team has become a dedicated UVic partner, regularly travelling to UVic from Toronto to guest lecture, take part in mock interview clinics and panel sessions, and lead information sessions with biomedical students.

Employer with under 50 employees - Focal

Founded by UVic commerce and software engineering alumni Lachlan Shum and his business partner in 2018, Focal develops website and booking platform software that provides professional photographers around the world with an online marketplace. Since 2020, the company has hired 12 commerce, writing and visual arts students in 14 co-op work terms.

Employer with more than 50 employees (tie) - Avalon Mechanical

As a local leader creating energy efficient mechanical systems for HVAC, plumbing and fire suppression. Avalon has welcomed 63 engineering, computer science and business students in the past 4 years alone.

Employer with more than 50 employees (tie) - VertiGIS

A Victoria-based company that develops cloud-ready, configurable software that helps all sizes of business benefit from the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). VertiGIS regularly hires UVic co-op students looking for their first co-op experience, with 130 students joining the team since 2015.

International Partner of the Year- Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW)

Located in Germany, DHBW has been a UVic partner for decades, with German students completing study terms at UVic and UVic students completing co-op terms with employers in Germany. 

Special Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre

Dr. Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse were beloved co-op student mentors who tragically lost their lives while hiking in the Rocky Mountains last summer; this award recognizes their incredible legacy. Doug and Jenny were known for their kind, courteous and immersive approach to agricultural research. They transformed the lives of more than 20 UVic co-op students, encouraging them to contribute to scientific publications, expand their abilities and competencies, and participate in work experiences that spanned lab, literature, and field research. 

A Gusse-Inglis Memorial Fund is currently underway to create two scholarships: one for undergraduate students and another for graduate students involved in research projects and active in the community. The fundraising goal for the endowment is $250,000. “Doug and Jenny got to the heart of things by always asking, what are we here to do? We’re here now to carry on their legacy.”

Read full stories about the 2022 year's award winners.

International employer – Rocket Lab

The sky’s the limit with Rocket Lab, this year’s winner of the International Co-op Employer of the Year. As a global leader in rocket and satellite design and manufacturing, spacecraft components, software and launch services, it’s no surprise that the multi-national company is invested in the next generation. They’re an employer of choice for UVic co-op students looking to contribute to a world-changing industry.

Employer with more than 50 employees (tie) – Aecon Construction Group Inc.

With more than a decade since hiring its first UVic co-op student, Aecon Construction Group Inc. is on a roll. The industry leader in civil construction and infrastructure development has provided 80 work terms to UVic students since 2010, with 72 work terms in the last 5 years alone.

Employer with more than 50 employees (tie) – BC Transit

What do UVic co-op students find so rewarding about their co-op work experiences with BC Transit? Students thrive in the inclusive and learning-focused environment and are immediately welcomed as true members of the team. It’s a dynamic that has made this province-wide employer one of students’ favourite places to work and one of this year's award winners.

Employer with under 50 employees – Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre (BC Cancer Research)

 When UVic co-op students join the team at the Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre’s Molecular and Cellular Immunology Core (MCIC) here in Victoria, they contribute to life-changing cancer research. As a world leader in advancing what we know about how the immune system and cancer interact, the MCIC encourages students to bring their critical thinking skills to work each day.

Employer with more than 50 employees

Agriculture and Agrifood Canada - Summerland Research and Development Centre

Why does the co-op experience at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Summerland Research and Development Centre consistently exceed students’ expectations? It comes down to the diverse projects, unique research opportunities and meaningful mentorship.

Summerland RDC works to mitigate environmental pressures, control biological threats, and integrate sustainable production and processing systems to deliver high-quality wine grapes and tree fruits.

The development of environmentally and economically sustainable methodologies ensures the success of Canada’s agricultural industries locally, nationally and internationally.

Between 2011 and 2021, Summerland RDC has provided 122 co-op work term placements. In spite of the challenges involved in responding to COVID-19, the Summerland RDC increased its hiring substantially between summer 2020 and fall 2021. Many students who completed their first co-op with Summerland RDC have continued on as part-time staff.

Co-op students are given opportunities to develop their skills in the lab, work on diverse teams, carry out research and outdoor field work, and more.

“Hands-on experience is really important,” says Dr. Mehdi Sharifi, a research scientist at AAFC. “We provide an environment that is safe, that is very diverse, and that has a lot of opportunity for training and learning.

A recent student-led project included the planning, development and construction of the first ever Indigenous food garden at an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research station, where students have been learning about various Indigenous traditional food sources and their management and stewardship practices.

“Last year, two Indigenous students from UVic, Dana Johnson and Kyle Clarke, came to work on this new project—we piloted it for the rest of the country,” says Dr. Sharifi. “They were amazing—they did it from their heart. They also did a presentation of their research to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) and did an extraordinary job.”

UVic environmental studies student Dana Johnson found the experience was a way to honour her ancestry. “I found myself striving to decolonize my mind and ways of being in an effort to give back to the many lands and communities that hold me up,” she says.

Co-op students are included in various activities beyond contributing to research projects, such as participating discussion groups with other scientists and students.

These experiences enable the students to strengthen their analytical and critical thinking skills, their public speaking and writing skills, and their ability to discuss complex ideas.

Employer with fewer than 50 employees

Dusanj and Wirk CPA

Every work term at Dusanj & Wirk CPA has one thing in common: an incredible learning experience. The chartered professional accounting firm considers co-op students as true full-time employees and assigns the same responsibilities from day one. This trust is combined with mentorship and guidance that ensures success for the entire team.

Dusanj & Wirk is known for its warm and welcoming culture. The firm offers many specialized training sessions and one-on-one mentoring to complement students’ academic knowledge. They also create a cooperative environment where students feel encouraged and welcomed to ask questions.

Often, they are partnered with junior accountants who can relate to the students’ experience and share career advice. 

“My experience with Dusanj & Wirk has been extremely positive and I consider myself very lucky to have spent all three of my co-op terms with this firm,” says a former co-op student. “I felt very at home here and with the level of responsibility they offer their co-op employees I often forgot that I was still a co-op student!”

The firm also offer plenty of opportunities to meet with other co-op students and staff accountants as well as managers and partners, including regular team building events like bowling, cooking classes, tax parties, Friday socials and other celebrations.

Currently, 15 UVic alumni (30% of their staff) are working on the team, 11 of whom began their career as co-op students with the firm.

In addition to giving students the opportunity to do meaningful work related to their academics, Dusanj & Wirk CPA supports many co-op and career initiatives here at UVic. Their staff regularly participate in mock interviews, attend our “Co-op + Career Networking Night” and have never missed UVic’s annual Accounting Networking Evening.

Dusanj & Wirk CPA provides work experiences that tie directly to students’ academics and career goals, while also giving them the tools and training to excel in that work.

International employer

Canadian Chamber of Commerce Thailand

Despite a shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Thailand (CanCham) in Bangkok, Thailand, went above and beyond to keep co-op students connected to their team.

Although students worked remotely during that period, they received strong mentorship from the entire CanCham team that allowed them to stay connected to the larger team and work culture.

CanCham Thailand has been operating for 28 years to promote and enhance Thai-Canadian relations by facilitating trade in both directions; co-op has been a part of their employment strategy for close to a decade. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the association made efforts to continue to hire co-op students in a remote capacity.

“UVic students are really agile and quickly adapt to the work environment and culture,” says Jen Meckhayai, CanCham Thailand’s executive director. “Students bring their Canadian perspective, and a new way of doing things, to the team. This makes a huge difference when we are planning projects and events.”

CanCham Thailand conducts a combination of over 35 business and social events each year. Students complete a variety of tasks for the Chamber, including conducting market research and writing business reports for Canadian organizations and the Embassy of Canada in Thailand.

Students are also involved with identifying potential co-op or internship opportunities at CanCham member organizations by connecting to Canadian employers in Thailand. This work has led to increased co-op opportunities in the region.

UVic co-op students are tasked with projects that allow them to develop their project management skills, and to network with business professionals in the community.

Since 2019, CanCham Thailand has been a key co‐op employer offering work‐integrated learning experiences in Thailand and remotely to students from a range of UVic co-op program areas. Their outstanding commitment to supporting student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make a positive impact.

New co-op employer

Shawn Veltman and Associates 

Shawn Veltman is the owner and founder of Shawn Veltman & Associates Inc., which specializes in helping companies create high performing sales and marketing teams. Shawn has recruited seven co-op students for a total of 12 placements over the past four years.

Though Shawn Veltman & Associates focuses on software projects, Shawn has recruited students from a wide variety of disciplines for his team.

Work terms begin with a full month of one-on-one training with Shawn, ranging from sharing knowledge of specific software applications to tips on improving students’ abilities and skills to work remotely. Students are then introduced to smaller projects and problems and by month three they are fully immersed in the work.

Shawn continues to impart entrepreneurial skills by working with the students as a partner even after their co-ops are finished. Many former co-op students find work with start-ups and established companies after their work terms.

To quote a former co-op student, “I do not think I would be where I am at in my career without the mentoring that I received from Shawn.”

Beyond stretching his own budget to hire more than one student for the summer 2021, Shawn bridged a new connection with a health technology company to encourage them to hire two students he interviewed but couldn’t hire due to lack of funding.

This connection has allowed UVic co-op to establish a successful relationship with this employer, who is now actively hiring and recruiting UVic co-op students.

Shawn encourages students to step outside their comfort zone while integrating with their academic interests. Co-op students are treated as equals and are empowered to challenge themselves and take responsibility for their projects.