Today’s employers want to hire workers who have skills and experience in addition to the knowledge gained in the classroom. Experiential education is a great way to further develop and broaden your education. Practicums and internships can help you build a strong professional network, put your knowledge base into action, develop a strong work ethic, and hone your transferable soft skills.

Gaining Canadian Work Experience

Many desirable jobs in Canada require candidates to have one year of related Canadian work experience. While you could get this experience through an unrelated, entry-level job, gaining relevant experience in your field is more strategic. Experiential education opportunities that can count as Canadian work experience include internships, volunteering, on-campus jobs, and events like hackathons.

Internship Certificate Program (ICP)

The Internship Certificate Program (ICP) is New York Tech’s institutional internship program and partners with internship courses in most majors. The ICP program helps you gain professional experience before you graduate, which makes you more attractive to employers seeking qualified candidates. Not only that, this program helps support your professional growth by helping you meet learning goals, develop employable skills, and get supervisor evaluations for your resume and LinkedIn profile.

Participating in ICP has many benefits. See how classroom theory applies in the real world. Explore career paths related to your degree. Earn Canadian work experience and a Certificate of Completion for your portfolio. Receive two employer evaluations per semester to showcase on LinkedIn or use as references. Build your professional network in Canada and gain the experience needed to secure a great job after graduation.

To join ICP, you'll need a minimum 3.0 GPA and approval from the Deans that the internship aligns with your degree. New York Tech Vancouver accepts applications from Cybersecurity, EM, and MBA students for the Internship Certificate Program each term. We do not directly provide placements. ICP also requires a Co-op Work Permit from the Canadian government, so apply right away to ensure timely processing before starting an internship.

ICP is administered by the Associate Dean of Academics, and the Career Services team provides support with resumes, resources, and internship search strategies. Our career services department can help you develop the skills that are necessary to successfully find positions in the Canadian labour market.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to gain initial Canadian work experience related to your career goals when jobs in your field are competitive. As a volunteer, you can demonstrate your skills, abilities, and expertise to potential references and employers. Be strategic and look for not-for-profit organizations and volunteer roles related to your program of study at New York Tech Vancouver.

To search for volunteer opportunities, please check VolunteerConnector and Charity Village.

For on-campus job opportunities, please check Handshake.

For internship-related questions and queries, please reach out at vancouver.internships@nyit.edu.

Contact Us

If you have any further questions about practicums and internships or need any assistance, please contact Vancouver Career Services at vancouver.careerservices@nyit.edu.