The Arts Work Experience (AWE) program changes lives for the better. And the benefit does not solely rest with the students who participate in this program and other experiential learning programs offered by the Faculty of Arts, but also with the employers who hire them.
This point was made abundantly clear at the Arts Work Experience (AWE) employer recognition event on Tuesday. Amidst an atmosphere of lively conversation and powerful storytelling, attendees were treated to a series of poster and video presentations that highlighted the value of the program on both a professional and personal level.
The event also marked a celebration of the national accreditation of AWE's co-op program - which was received in May after a vigorous application process - by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE). The accreditation recognizes the faculty's commitment to providing mutually beneficial professional work experiences for students and employers.
Nicole Duley ('14 BA), a graduate of three AWE work terms and one of the presenters at the event, attributes her success to a "perfect storm" of influences, particularly AWE.
"The biggest value the AWE program has is that it pushes students outside of their comfort zones," she says. "Each of my experiences has forced me to shift and reframe my experiences. As an employer, you have the opportunity to set your business up for success. By mentoring students, you are helping them build skills and knowledge that will grow into expertise in time. You are helping to develop future leaders."
Duley now works as a corporate planning coordinator with the City of St. Albert, one of her former AWE employers.
Terra Biollo, Customer Experience Coordinator with PCL Constructors Inc., supervised English and Film Studies student Rachel Wieringa over her recently completed 12 month work term. Hired to create a series of videos for the company, Wieringa quickly proved her value, not only in the pre-assigned role, but within a number of other projects as well.
"In the past year we've increased the video content that we're making available to the rest of the company about business technology services," says Biollo. "We've launched a self-service portal so that people can find answers to common support questions without contacting our support team, and our weekly What the Tech? blog is gaining a following. Hiring a student from the Arts Work Experience program has allowed my team to accomplish a number of goals that would have been difficult to achieve otherwise."
Biollo notes that Arts students like Wieringa come with a unique skill set, which includes the discipline to work independently, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to research and write.
"I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this program to other potential employers," says Biollo, who hired Wieringa to work part-time with PCL while she finishes her degree.
In her opening remarks, Faculty of Arts Dean Lesley Cormack reaffirmed that experiential learning opportunities such as AWE (including internships and co-op), Study Abroad, and Community Service-Learning bring reciprocal benefit to students and employers. "Together," says Cormack, "we are helping to shape the workforces - and workplaces - of tomorrow."
Are you a student or employer interested in Arts Work Experience opportunities? Click here for more information.
Learn more about AWE and the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education accreditation here.