Mar 27, 2024
Vancouver, BC - In celebration of the National Day of Work-Integrated Learning, Langara College Co-op & Career Development is proud to name fourth year business student Nitika as the 2023 Co-op Student of the Year.
Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) celebrates the National Day of Work-Integrated Learning on the fourth Wednesday of March each year.
“Co-op is an opportunity that should not be missed. With amazing mentors guiding you during this learning curve in your career, you are expanding your chances of success,” said Nitika. “It's always hard to get that initial push or get your foot in the door and for me, co-op was the key to start your journey. Classrooms can’t always teach you the things you learn through co-op.”
Nitika attended her first co-op experience as an Event Assistant with the non-profit organization Latincouver in the spring of 2023. Her initial four month co-op term was extended further to eight months. “I honestly was a little nervous in the beginning of my first co-op as I was going into a new environment and industry, but with patient mentors and supportive instructors, the process went very smoothly and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
She recently completed her third co-op term, this time with Blackbird Security, as a full-time Recruiting Assistant, developing further new skills as a part of their human resources team.
“I remember taking on a small task of going to a volunteer hiring fair when I worked with Latincouver and that was an experience that I got to use towards my job interview for Blackbird Security as a recruiter,” added Nitika. “The knowledge we can gain by being open to growing ourselves is an unforgettable takeaway I got through co-op. Even though my degree is in business management, I got to gain experience in event management and human resources, not to mention the countless other soft and technical skills I gained along the way.”
"Nitika showed great enthusiasm and hard work doing three consecutive co-op work terms at both Latincouver and Blackbird Security during 2023. She will soon graduate with the Co-op Designation as part of her Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Business Management and has already landed a full-time role,” said Dionne Orrange, Instructor, Co-op & Career Development. “Participating in co-op and work integrated learning opportunities provides students with the ability to test out different roles/companies and explore career opportunities while still in school, which sets them up for success upon graduation.”
About CEWIL
Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada), formerly Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE), is the lead organization for work-integrated learning in Canada. CEWIL partners with post-secondary institutions, community members, employers, government, and students to champion work-integrated learning (WIL). WIL is a model and process of experiential education which formally and intentionally integrates a student’s academic studies with learning in a workplace or practice setting. WIL experiences normally include an engaged partnership between an academic institution, a host organization/employer, and a student. WIL occurs at the course or program level and includes the development of learning outcomes related to employability, personal agency, and life-long learning.
About snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College
Located in beautiful Vancouver, B.C., Canada, snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara College provides University, Career, and Continuing Studies education to more than 23,000 students annually. With more than 1,700 courses and 130 programs, Langara's expansive academic breadth and depth allows students of all ages, backgrounds, and life stages to choose their own educational path. Langara is also known as snəw̓eyəɬ leləm 'house of teachings', a name given to it by Musqueam, on whose unceded traditional territory the College is located.
Learn more.
Mark Dawson
Manager, Public Affairs
Langara College
mdawson@langara.ca
