Linking educational experiences to employment is not always easy. Some students at the University College of the North (UCN) embarking upon post-secondary studies might have a sense of their career path; however, many may not.
Utilizing best practices, UCN's Cooperative Education Coordinator, Krystle Paskaruk, provides opportunities to UCN students for creating meaningful pathways between education and employment. And, recently, Krystle was recognized for this work with a certificate of appreciation from RBC Careers Services at an appreciation night in Toronto on November 28.
In addition to providing career coaching, mentoring and development support to students, Krystle has:
- organized extremely successful Industry Engagement Night events in November, 2018. The events, held in The Pas and Thompson, brought together more than 300 students, staff/faculty and employer representatives.
- established the Professional Development Series offered in The Pas and Thompson. The series is designed to help students develop their employability skills and gain tools needed to be prepared for the job-search process, secure meaningful employment, perform professionally in the workplace and be future-ready. The series is open to UCN and the external community at no cost and is offered over the noon hour to maximize student participation.
- represented Manitoba/Nunavut as the regional representative to the National Board of Cooperative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) for the previous two years.
- recognized employer partnerships at Employer Recognition Luncheons held during National Co-op/WIL week in mid-March where industry/employer partners were acknowledged for their delivery of work-integrated learning experiences for UCN students. Another appreciation lunch is scheduled for March, 2018.
- facilitated the Career Connect Program (an initiative that allows employers to develop their own pathways to campus recruitment either through information sessions, hosting a lunch and learn, facilitating a workshop or meeting with students in a particular program) and Career Chat Lunch N' Learns (scheduled career chats focused around the "future of work" featuring speakers from across industry sectors).
We are grateful for Krystle's continued stewardship of the Co-op/WIL initiatives at UCN and congratulate her for this recognition.
