CCEE Annual Report 2020/21 by Brock University

pen-alt calendar-star comments-alt briefcase handshake-alt backpack chart-line book users Co-op, Career & Experiential Education

ANNUAL REPORT

2020/21

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DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

CCEE IN NUMBERS

NEW INITIATIVES IN 2020/21

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY IMPACT

AWARDS, RECOGNITION & EVENTS

NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS

EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

pen-alt DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

Students were thrust into a new work environment, and we are proud of what they have learned and accomplished. Angela Duckworth defines grit as “a combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal and is the hallmark of high achievers in every domain.” We often hear from our community partners and employers how Brock students have “grit.” Yet, as difficult as it has been, this past year has highlighted to our partners that Brock students and their support systems continue to “Surgite.”

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

Where our last annual report left off, as we were first learning to navigate the impacts of COVID-19, this annual report picks up to showcase a community that pulled together under unparalleled conditions. I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire CCEE team for their dedication and perseverance. When we felt that were up against the impossible, their creativity, critical thinking, and tenacity pushed us forward to achieve the impossible and excel. Our values of quality, teamwork, passion, pride, integrity and respect served as our compass and allowed us to live our purpose of “navigating the journey” even as we were working from our homes. Throughout the year, we launched new programs, created pathways for engagement and proudly responded to the realities of the pandemic and social transformation as it was happening. Our employers, community partners, faculty members and Brock leadership pulled together to ensure that students continued to have exceptional experiences, wherever possible, to build the skills they need in the future workforce.

Please join me in commemorating all that was achieved in this exceptional year – what we have realized and faced will impact how we approach career and experiential education now and in the future.

CARA KREZEK Director, Co-op, Career & Experiential Education

chart-bar CCEE IN NUMBERS

1,644 CAREER EDUCATION STUDENT APPOINTMENTS BACHELOR'S

1,280 280

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

CAMPUS CAREER

5,701

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MASTER'S

110

CAMPUS CAREER

GOODMAN CAREER

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STUDENTS ATTENDING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS & APPOINTMENTS

CAMPUS CAREER

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4,847

1,211

ANNUAL TOTAL STUDENTS WHO

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COMPLETED A CO-OP TERM 4

GOODMAN CAREER

CO-OP APPOINTMENTS

CHART-LINE %

90.6

CO-OP EMPLOYMENT RATE

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NUMBER OF

WORK FROM HOME MEMES SHARED:

OVER 1 MILLION

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OF STUDENTS WOULD RECOMMEND

ENVELOPE-OPEN-DOLLAR

100 700+ %

OF BROCK’S ACADEMIC PROGRAMS INCLUDING

COURSES

TEACHING & LEARNING INNOVATION GRANTS TOTALING $48,000

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CAREER CURRICULUM CONSULTATIONS

IN THE FACULTIES OF APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES, HUMANITIES, SOCIAL SCIENCES, & IN THE MASTER OF SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM

250+

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

CAREER EDUCATION

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

USER-CHECK

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CONSULTATIONS WITH FACULTY AND INSTRUCTORS

chart-pie NEW INITIATIVES IN 2020/21

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

BROCK SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE ENHANCEMENT HUB In collaboration with 55 faculty members and instructors across campus, the Experiential Education team supported innovative Work-Integrated Learning courses in the call for funding made available through Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada’s Innovation Hub (iHub) and the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative (IWIL). The team created a centralized process and managed the finances, reporting, and faculty communications. 33 applications were successful (the highest number of any post-secondary institution in the country) for more than $520,000+ in funding across 43 courses. The majority of funding dollars went into student pockets with 1,560 students receiving funding. With this funding being reserved for domestic students, CCEE supported international students in these course opportunities, enabling them to be compensated equally. A total of $15,000 was set aside for this purpose.

EXAMPLES OF INNOVATIVE PROJECTS FUNDED: APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES: HLSC 3P25 Training and Mental health and mindfulness training and resources were covered for students to receive certifications as part of a for-credit course. HUMANITIES: HIST 1P50 First year students researched the history of pandemics with support from local community organizations, including museums, and presenting their research in a professional forum. SOCIAL SCIENCES: ADST 5P76 Virtual reality (VR) equipment was hand delivered to students at no charge, regardless of where they lived, allowing them to complete 75 hours of field placement experience via VR. A community organization who had to close their door to clients during the pandemic also benefited by being able to connect clients with disabilities directly with students for social interaction, mental health support, and instruction on using innovative technologies.

BROCK CO-OP TALENT CONNECT To increase student and employer engagement during the pandemic, CCEE launched Brock Co-op Talent Connect, a virtual networking series connecting small groups of students with Co-op partners. The series of workshops enabled students to showcase their skills to organizations that might be hiring, connecting them directly with recruiters. Around 500 students participated in 24 employer sessions featuring organizations like Amazon, Bosch Rexroth, BMW Group, Canadian Tire, Co-operators, Deloitte, D2L, Framework, Hydro One, Kinectrics, KPMG, Labatt, Microsoft, Loblaws, Mosaic, MTO, PepsiCo, PwC, RBC, RSM, and Scotiabank. Both students and employer partners responded positively to the event, resulting in a number of students being hired. 6

BIOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY CO-OP PROGRAMS

GOODMAN FACULTY ROUNDTABLE

A new Sociology co-op program was launched in Spring 2020, followed by approval for a Biology co-op program in April 2021. With the two new programs, Co-op Education now administers 34 Undergraduate and 8 Graduate co-op programs, in addition to one internship program in Oenology and Viticulture (OEVC).

Goodman Experiential Education Coordinators launched a new Faculty Roundtable; a committee consisting of new and experienced faculty members that provide experiential opportunities in their courses. The first roundtable hosted more than 20 attendees and subsequent roundtable meetings will run each term.

COMPETENCY-BASED CO-OP WORK TERM REFLECTION

VIRTUAL CULTURAL HUMILITY PREPARATION

As part of each co-op work term, students are required to complete monthly Integration and Reflective Learning assignments. In Spring/Summer 2021, the team launched a new Competency-based Work Term Reflection practice. With this new approach, students reflect on the Brock Competencies throughout their work term. The ten competencies form part of CCEE’s Career Development Model (CDM) designed to help students articulate their knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes and to translate them into career-ready language. This new approach asks students to utilize a reflective mindset to engage in self-assessment, deepen their learning, and make connections between who they are and how they operate in a professional setting. The launch included the development of student and employer resources, staff training, the full integration of the Competency Development Tool into Orbis Outcome.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE RESOURCES

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Apply Knowledge

Think Critically

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Surgite!

Know Yourself

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Act Innovatively

Communicate Effectively

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Collaborate Effectively

Be Curious

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Engage with Your Community

Practice Intercultural Fluency

A-Z Learning Services and Experiential Education have teamed up to develop a reflective practice tool kit and workshop to support students in writing their curricular reflective assignments. New offerings were delivered through A-Z beginning in Fall 2020.

NEW WORKSHOP REQUESTS A new “Request a Workshop” section has been added to the Faculty Guidebook for Experiential Learning that includes Cultural Humility, Reflection pre/post experience, and an Intro to CCEE. The new section also includes the option for faculty to request customized sessions. The Experiential Education team collaborated on the development of a new section titled “Taking EL Online” to support faculty through the transition to online teaching and learning. Additionally, Career Education implemented a new workshop request process, enabling faculty to more easily request Career Curriculum workshops, programming, and resources for their classes.

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

BROCK COMPETENCIES

After piloting the Cultural Humility workshop in Winter 2020, the Experiential Education team spent the summer working with faculty, Brock Human Rights and Equity, and Mirror Theatre to shift this content into a plug-and-play format for online courses. More than 500 students were engaged virtually through 4 different sessions in preparation for going out into the community as part of their courses.

MICRO-CREDENTIALS Members of the CCEE team joined the new Brock Microcredentials Committee, providing support and consultation on micro-credentialling and competency-based learning. Members of the team participated in the 2021 IMS Digital Credentials Summit and the eCampus Ontario Micro-credentials Forum.

ONLINE CAREER CURRICULUM After years of in-person presentations, the CCEE team redesigned all career curriculum content and created 9 online modules on Sakai for use across CCEE and seamless curriculum integration. These new offerings included one complete site with full content to support the Co-op Preparation Course and Fit Link, plus an additional 9 individualized lessons to replace former online workshops.

handshake-alt CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY IMPACT DEGREE EXPLORATION GUIDES In collaboration with the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, CCEE worked to update and redesign student Degree Exploration Guides, integrating new elements including Brock’s career readiness competencies.

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

CO-OP EXPLORATION GUIDE Co-op work terms enable students to develop foundational skills that help to secure post-graduation employment. Recognizing that co-op work term employment differs from new graduate employment, the Co-op team created Exploration Guides to help students navigate their co-op journey. The guides provide examples of co-op specific positions that students can expect to secure, non-traditional employment examples, key skills they can expect to develop, professional associations they should consider joining, alumni advice, and more. CCEE will obtain feedback from faculty partners on program-specific guides prior to a full project launch in Fall 2021.

TALENT EXCHANGE PLATFORM CCEE piloted the Talent Exchange platform, a partnership with McKinsey & Co. and Eightfold AI, to expand employment opportunities for recent graduates impacted by the pandemic.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING COURSE WEBSITE & CALENDAR FLAG To provide students with additional information about experiential learning (EL) opportunities during the pandemic, the team created a reference website that included an updated list of Faculty-specific EL courses to circulate to Academic Advisors, current students, and the Brock University Students’ Union to help students understand their EL options. A partnership with the Registrar’s Office and IT Services has also resulted in a button being created to flag any course in the Course Calendar that has an experiential component.

BROCK COMPETENCES Since their formal adoption, the Brock Competencies have been embedded across CCEE through curricular and co-curricular programming. In the Med and Law Plus programs, the competencies have been used in marketing and promotional materials for prospective students, in the creation of program learning objectives and mid-point reflection activities, in mind-mapping exercises, and in reflective practice workshops. The competencies have also been aligned with disciplinespecific competency frameworks, integrated through professional speaker sessions, career conversations, and professional school applications. The competencies have formed the basis for new student resources, cross-campus program delivery, and in work with faculties on the development of faculty-specific competencies. 8

users-class CURRICULAR COLLABORATIONS KINE 4P80 CLINICAL PRACTICES IN ATHLETIC THERAPY

Dr. Nicole Chimera developed a virtual clinic that saw Kinesiology students working with Athletic Therapists from home and also creating e-portfolios to showcase their skillsets.

RECL 3P21 LEISURE AND AGING

Even though in-person visits were not possible, students found a way to continue to build on a strong and long-standing partnership with Radiant Care Tabor Manor, a local long-term care home. By creating personalized sensory care packages, 17 pairs of Recreation and Leisure Studies students contributed to the well-being of residents..

MATH 1P98 PRACTICAL STATISTICS

More than 1,500 students saw their math skills come to life through engagement by participating in a survey to create data focused on student lifestyles. Students later analyzed the results of the surveys using newly gained statistical skill sets. During the course, students also took part in case studies using real-world data from the Canada Summer Games.

MBAB 5P86 AUGMENTED REALITY MARKETING

Goodman introduced an Augmented Reality (AR) Marketing course within the business school; the first course of its kind in North America. Students had the opportunity to create AR wine label concepts for a local winery, and work with an AR/VR company to create the technology to bring it to life. The course was internationally recognized and placed first in the 2020 Innovation in Business Education Award competition by the MidAmerican Business Deans Association.

INDG 1F03 INTRODUCTION TO CAYUGA Indigenous languages are largely underrepresented in North America and in response, students created resources in the Cayuga language that allowed for greater appreciation of culture and support for the preservation movement taking place within the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory community. Under the direction of Dr. Stanley "Bobby" Henry and in consultation with a Cayuga language speaker from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, students applied vocabulary and translation skills to develop a greater understanding of Cayuga language, culture, and the importance of language preservation initiatives. The resource will be published and printed copies will be available through the Brock Library for anyone interested in Cayuga culture and language.

PLUS, LINK & BRIDGE PROGRAMS

STUDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR PLUS PROGRAM

STUDENTS WOULD RECOMMEND PLUS PROGRAMS TO OTHERS

STUDENTS WOULD PARTICIPATE IN OTHER CAREER EDUCATION EVENTS/PROGRAMMING.

LAW PLUS

FIT LINK

Level Two curriculum was developed using feedback from first year students and the expertise of the advisory group. This new curriculum further explores both traditional and non-traditional careers in law. New workshops were designed to build on skills developed Level One, with an emphasis on reflective practice. Law Plus initiated new partnerships with the Crown’s Office, Hope Centre, Multicultural Centre, and the Canadian Foundation of Animal Assisted Support Services.

New program innovations increased student exposure to health-related careers by featuring more industry professionals including a recreation therapist, an in-school occupational therapist, and Doctor of Naturopathy students.

As the first double-cohort of 60 Med Plus students reached third year, the previously combined Level 3/4 was separated, and a new Level 3 curriculum was developed. The new curriculum bridges learning from previous levels by introducing a focus on health care issues, hot topics, and reflection-based workshops that allow students to connect skills to career goals. A new series of Career Talks was delivered by Brock alumni to both Med Plus and Fit Link students on careers in nursing, biotechnology, naturopathy, recreation therapy, and in-school occupational theory. This year, over 40 Med Plus students volunteered with the Niagara Region Public Health and other Community Health Centre COVID-19 vaccination sites. Med Plus students also had access to new volunteer placement opportunities at Red Cross, Out of the Cold/Start Me Up Niagara, and the Welland-McMaster Family Health Team.

NEW MED PLUS SESSIONS

The first cohort of Talent Bridge formally launched with a cohort of 10 recent Brock graduates who engaged in 12 weeks of virtual career development and industry training. In response to the pandemic, the 12-week curriculum underwent a redesign to adapt to a new online delivery.

ORBIS OUTCOME UPDATES Reflection and competency articulation has been built into the co-curricular record within the Orbis platform. As a result, each co-curricular experience that is recorded on a Student Experience Record now requires students to complete a reflection and identify relevant competencies and proficiency levels.

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

MED PLUS

TALENT BRIDGE

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• “Mindful Living”, focusing on free ways to support student mental health • Allergies and Research session facilitated by a Med Plus graduate and local doctor • Mental Health workshops for Plus Program students, delivered by former CCEE Career Assistant and Brock graduate

Business Economics graduate Tristan Palser is taking part in Brock’s inaugural Talent Bridge program. 9

trophy-alt AWARDS, RECOGNITION & EVENTS STUDENT AND STUDENT STAFF RECOGNITION

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

BROCK CO-OP STUDENTS HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES At a key stage of economic recovery, a group of 18 Brock co-op students stepped up to lend a hand and support local community businesses. Students partnered with organizations across Niagara to deliver strategic solutions to short-term issues. Projects included everything from social media marketing and web design, to helping to implement food delivery, all while continuing to foster the culture of meaningful community engagement that Brock is known for. The partnerships were made possible through funding from the Canada Summer Jobs program, nearly 30 local businesses, and the support of the South Niagara Chambers of Commerce and Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce. The students were also recognized by Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, for their outstanding contributions and celebrated at an end of term virtual event.

Comment-Alt-Smile STUDENT STAFF MEMBERS IN THE CO-OP CAREER LEADER ROLES SUPPORTED:

132 RESUME APPOINTMENTS

MOCK INTERVIEWS

CO-OP STUDENTS OF THE YEAR 2020 AWARD • Joel Gritter, Honours BSc., Computer Science Co-op (Undergraduate Category) • Syed Hashir Sher, MBA ISP Co-op (Graduate Category)

EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD • Valerie Pagnotta, Honours BSc., Medical Sciences

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IN ADDITION TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH

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Student award winners from left to right: Valerie Pagnotta, Syed Hashir Sher, Joel Gritter 10

BROCK’S CO-OP PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION COURSE

EMPLOYER RECOGNITION CO-OP EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR 2020 AWARD The Co-op Employer of the Year is an annual award which recognizes one organization from each category of Non-profit, Small & Medium Enterprise, and Large organization (>500 employees). These award recipients have made outstanding contributions through consistent employment of Brock Co-op students, high quality co-op work term experiences including training and mentorship opportunities for our students, as well as a high level of on-campus engagement in networking simulation events, employer panels and recruitment fairs. • Non profit: Canadian Mental Health Association (Niagara Branch) • Small and Medium Enterprise: Norgen Biotek • Large organization: BDO

OUTSTANDING CO-OP SUPERVISOR OF THE TERM AWARD

ALUMNI CO-OP EMPLOYER AWARD The Alumni Co-op Employer Award honours one extraordinary alumnus/a who has contributed to the success of Brock students by championing Co-op within their organization, serving as a mentor to students, and going above and beyond to help their alma mater promote Brock Co-op. Jeffrey Huang (BAcc, 2010) won the award for his recruitment efforts between Akelius Canada and Brock University since he joined the company in 2016. Over four years, Jeffrey supported 21 Co-op hires from Brock with extended work terms, adding up to a total of 78 work terms. Many of those hires were international students that would not have otherwise had any Canadian work experience.

NETWORKING BLITZ DAY Networking Blitz Day took place virtually in lieu of our annual Networking Breakfast recruitment event. The virtual event included breakout rooms for students to network with employers and learn about post-graduate employment opportunities.

ON-CAMPUS JOB FAIR Featuring 15 on-campus employers, this virtual event was attended by 200 students and featured an On-Campus Employer Panel, Career Expo, 1:1 Networking with student staff, and an information session by Brock University Volunteer Association (BUVA) to connect students with unique volunteer

ANNUAL GRAD SEND-OFF In collaboration with the Office of Alumni Relations, Grad Send-Off was delivered virtually during the Winter 2021 term providing students with the opportunity to virtually chat faceto-face with industry professionals and build their networks. The event also highlighted the services available to alumni, access to employers who hosted virtual booths for students to connect with throughout the day, as well as an online expo featuring campus and community partners.

EXPLORING CAREERS Career Education hosted many Exploring Careers events where students had the opportunity to network directly with employers in small groups. The virtual event platform Hopin was sourced and implemented to continue delivering a full event program for students and industry partners in a virtual format that simulated the usual in-person experience.

2020-2021 EVENTS INCLUDED: • Exploring Careers in Sales & Marketing - A collaboration between Goodman Career and Campus Career to engage students across the university. • Exploring Careers in Human Resources - Delivered in a new format with featured HR professionals hosting individual virtual sessions over a period of several weeks. • Exploring Careers in Law, Security & Policy - Revised and expanded to include policy development and government opportunities. As part of the event, a senior researcher from HEQCO was featured as a panelist. • Exploring Careers in OEVI in collaboration with Oenology and Viticulture

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

The Outstanding Co-op Supervisor recognition is a studentdriven award to formally recognize and thank work term supervisors for on-the-job coaching and mentoring. For their work to guide and support students as they advance through academic programs, 55 Co-op supervisors were recognized for their exceptional contributions, including CCEE’s Career Curriculum Manager, Marisa Brown.

opportunities with the 2022 Canada Summer Games and other community organizations in Niagara.

• Exploring Careers in Working Abroad – A collaboration with Goodman International Exchange and focused on opportunities around the world and how exchange can support student resume and skill development. • European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) - Goodman Career collaborated with the Dean's office to bring the spring and fall International Virtual Career Fairs to Goodman students where they connected with employers from around the world.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Campus and Goodman Career Education events engaged 250 employer, industry and community partners in presentations, recruitment, and coaching with participation from over 1,000 students.

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CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

globe-americas NATIONAL & GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS

CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION & WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING (CEWIL) CCEE Director, Cara Krezek, served as CEWIL President over the course of this year. In this role she led the national association of over 1,400 members, 115 post-secondary educational institutions and national employer organizations through the pandemic. Cara hosted national townhalls to bring the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) community together during the pandemic and instigated a national call to action for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Cara was seconded to CEWIL for a 3-month period to set up the CEWIL Innovation Hub (iHub), a 16.8-million-dollar investment from the Federal Government through the Innovative Work Integrated Learning Fund.

Sandy Howe, Associated Director, Experiential Education, participated on the CEWIL Professional Development Committee and coordinated and moderated several PD events with over 300 participants in 2020-21, including “EDI & WIL: Partner Perspectives”, “Cultural Intelligence: Adding EQ to our EDI Toolkit”, and “Remote Work for Students”. Brock continues to contribute to CEWIL Canada and the World Association of Co-operative and Work-Integrated Education (WACE) through presentations and resources. To learn more about CEWIL, visit CEWILcanada.ca

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CCEE PUBLICATIONS

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CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

• Balancing Adaptation and Access: Career Services Response to COVID, CareerWise by CERIC, Andrew Bassingthwaighte

2021 Virtual OECA Spring Conference “Non-traditional Experiential Learning at Brock University” Catherine Brigantino, Koreen McCullough, Liz Kirk

• Responding to Career Uncertainty with Compassion and Integrity, CareerWise by CERIC, Andrew Bassingthwaighte

Cannexus21 “How to Engage in Ethical Advocacy” Andrew Bassingthwaighte

• Mastering the Power of C.H.A.O.S, Careering by CERIC, Andrew Bassingthwaighte

• Social Justice and the Birth of Career Development, CareerWise by CERIC, Andrew Bassingthwaighte • Using Play, Optimism, and Curiosity to Unlock Success in Your Job Search, University Affairs, Marisa Brown

CANADA CAREER MONTH

Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Virtual Conference Series 2020 “Redefining Co-op Work Term Reflection: A Collaboration Between Co-op, Career & Experiential Education” Christine Eaton, Laura Fyfe

INNOVATION IN BUSINESS EDUCATION

Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Virtual Conference Series 2020 “The Role of Reflection in Experiential Learning” Sandy Howe Experiential & Work-Integrated Learning Ontario (EWO) Virtual Conference Series 2020 “Ethical Career Advocacy” Andrew Bassingthwaighte Career Leadership Academy On-Line 2021 “Leading and Managing Teams” Cara Krezek Future Workforce Annual Conference 2020 “Leading Teams in Times of Disruption” Cara Krezek

Kara Renaud participated in a nationwide committee to coordinate Canada Career month with the theme of “Resiliency”. Under her supervision, the student Career Assistant team and Digital Communications and Marketing Assistant led the coordination of student engagement for the 2020 initiative. The campaign included staff and student stories of resiliency, tips for being resilient at home, work and school, and a social media contest. Goodman School of Business (GSB) Professor Joachim Scholz was awarded 1st place in the 2020 MABDA Innovation in Business Education competition, with significant support from the GSB Experiential Education Coordinators. This marks the first time a Canadian school has placed 1st for this award.

INTERNATIONAL CO-OP FUNDING

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

CEWIL Bridging the Gap to 2022 “Redefining Co-op Work Term Reflection: A Collaboration Between Co-op, Career & Experiential Education” Christine Eaton, Laura Fyfe

Compared to Winter 2020, CCEE experienced a 38% increase in the number of international students eligible for co-op work terms in Winter 2021. With international students facing significant employment obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic, CCEE offered wage subsidies for units across the University wishing to hire a Master of Business Administration — International Student Pathway (MBA-ISP) students, which saw seven MBAISP students hired through this initiative.

STUDENT WORK PLACEMENT PROGRAM FUNDING (SWPP) For the first time ever, Universities were eligible to receive SWPP wage subsidies for hiring students in WIL. Access to the funding allowed 44 students from various programs to secure career-related, full-time WIL experiences on campus, saving Brock over $100,000 in salary expenses.

VIRTUAL EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION SERIES In Spring/Summer 2020, Experiential Education offered a virtual series for faculty on building experiential learning courses on-line. The series included voices of faculty, students and community partners, as well as institutional support information for Microsoft Teams use and accessibility for virtual courses. 13

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

hand-heart EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Apefa Adjivon (bottom), one of 40 youths who participated in the 1834 Fellowship Policy Forum, presented her group's public policy proposal to Velma Morgan, Chair of Operation Black Vote Canada, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Fostering a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization is one of Brock’s University’s strategic priorities. CCEE is committed to delivering a comprehensive, inclusive and non-discriminatory suite of services. From student and new graduate employment, experiential learning opportunities, co-op hiring, and career preparation, CCEE contributes to this priority as well as the specific goal of enhanced engagement with Indigenous communities in the spirit of reconciliation.

1834 FELLOWSHIP CONFERENCE

BLACK NORTH INITIATIVE

The Career Education team facilitated an interview strategies workshop as part of the 1834 Fellowship Conference hosted by Brock for Black university students across Canada. The week-long conference prepared Black youth for civic leadership roles and supported them in their skill and career development.

CCEE has supported the President’s Office on inclusive hiring inquiries from Black North Initiative industry partners. CCEE has also partnered with Human Rights and Equity to address challenges we face when assisting employers with inclusive hiring practices on campus.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CCEE operationalized a partnership with the Onyx Initiative to expand the Black Talent pipeline and redress the gap in the recruiting and selection of Black students and recent graduates for roles in corporate Canada. For the first cohort, 17 Brock students applied to the program and 9 were selected. We have since established a working group with representation across campus to continue to build our promotion and engagement strategy.

With a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, CCEE staff enrolled in a 12-lesson Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled Indigenous Canada, offered through the University of Alberta. The course explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada from an Indigenous perspective. In addition to the MOOC, Kristen Nilsen and Janet Westbury collaborated with Dr. Kirsty Spence to offer a reading circle guided by Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy. The reading circle was offered to 12 white identified Brock employees and was supported by both Human Rights and Equity and Brock’s Anti-Racism Taskforce.

DIRECT COURSE SUPPORT The Experiential Education team promoted two-way dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through weekly support in a Health Sciences Directed Readings course on Decolonization & Public Health which involved two Indigenous staff and a number of Elders. Support was also provided to INDG 1F03 – Introduction to Cayuga and EDUC 3P91 – Pedagogy of Indigenous Art through course consultations, internal grant funding, and expanded dialogue and relationships with Indigenous faculty, staff and grad students to better understand reconciliation and decolonization on campus and ways that CCEE can support these goals.

SPECIALISTERNE CANADA A Community of Practice session was hosted to educate CCEE staff on services available to neurodiverse students through Specialisterne Canada.

CCEE ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21

ONYX INITIATIVE

GUIDELINES FOR ETHICAL RECRUITMENT & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CCEE launched detailed guidelines to hold ourselves, our employers, and our community partners accountable to inclusive and non-discriminatory practices.

DIVERSITY CAREER RESOURCE PROJECT In collaboration with Human Rights and Equity, Career Education launched a diversity career resource project and established 3 working groups to research and develop career resources for students with disabilities, racialized populations and LGBTQ2S students. 15

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