Science Internship Program Key Facts

The Science Internship Program (SIP) allows small to large size companies to hire students for certain periods of time to support their operations. SIP students possess a solid knowledge base and technical skills set from their academic courses and labs, with many student having additional research and volunteer experience in scientific fields. Employers can choose from a wide range of talented students from different departments.

CRITERIA

To hire a SIP student the following criteria need to be fulfilled:

  • The internship tasks should align with a student's academic pursuit
  • Positions should start in the beginning of January, May or September
  • Full time work (30 - 40 hours/week)
  • The length should be 4, 8, 12 or 16 months (it is possible to extend the duration as long as the 16 months are not exceeded)
  • Pay a wage at a rate comparable to industry norms (at least minimum wage)
  • The work place has to be a professional office setting (no home office)
  • Assign a supervisor to the student to provide regular, constructive feedback to help interns grow professionally. Supervisor should be:
    • A full time staff member, on site
    • Knowledgeable and experience in the student's field of studies
    • Able to speak to the tasks the student will be assigned to
    • Meet with an internship coordinator at a midpoint site visit
    • Provide a midpoint and final evaluation of the intern
There are a number of wage subsidies provided by the government to help hire a student. For more information please follow the link.