2025 ACE-WIL Industry Partner of the Year Award | WIL
Award Winners, Industry Partner of the Year |The Association for Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning BC / Yukon is pleased to announce the recipients of the Co-op/WIL Industry Partner of the Year Awards. The WIL award for 2025 recognizes ACE-WIL industry partners that have demonstrated a strong commitment to work integrated learning, through the support and hiring of WIL students and/or have shown a high level of overall support of our association through specific partnerships.
WIL Industry Partner: Clinical Nurse Educator Team
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
About the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Clinical Nurse Educator Team The Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) team at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) is the recipient of the 2025 Industry Partner of the Year (WIL) in recognition of their outstanding commitment to student learning and work-integrated education in partnership with Vancouver Island University (VIU).
Each year, more than 400 VIU nursing students complete clinical placements at NRGH, making the hospital one of the university’s most significant experiential learning partners. The CNE team plays a central role in supporting students throughout their four-year nursing program, helping them bridge theory and practice while building the clinical reasoning, confidence, and professional skills required in today’s complex healthcare environment.
Students consistently describe the CNE team as approachable, encouraging, and deeply invested in their development. Through hands-on teaching, mentorship, and guidance across diverse clinical units, the team creates a supportive learning environment where students feel safe asking questions, exploring new skills, and growing into their professional roles.
Beyond clinical placements, the team contributes to VIU’s broader learning community through guest lectures, orientation sessions, and workforce-readiness initiatives, while also supporting faculty collaboration and continuous improvement in clinical education.
ACE-WIL BC/Yukon is proud to recognize the Clinical Nurse Educator team at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for their exceptional leadership in experiential learning and their meaningful impact on the next of nurses.
Quote from Tammy Joseph, RN, BScN, Clinical Nurse Educator
“Nanaimo Regional General Hospital’s long‑standing partnership with our post-secondary partners reflects our unwavering commitment to Work Integrated Learning (WIL). Our Clinical Nurse Educators (CNEs) and interdisciplinary teams work collaboratively to provide students with rich, hands‑on experiences that bridge academic learning with the realities of modern health care.”
“Through dedicated mentorship, access to clinical environments, and meaningful engagement in patient care, students develop the clinical judgment, professional confidence, and practical skills essential for today’s complex care settings. Our shared commitment to reflective practice, continuous improvement, and student‑centered learning ensures every learner is supported, challenged, and inspired.”
“At NRGH, students are welcomed as emerging professionals. We prioritize individualized goal‑setting, reflective practice, and ongoing feedback to foster confidence, competence, and growth. Dedicated mentors and preceptors guide learners through real-world decision‑making, ethical considerations, and collaborative care, while CNEs ensure students are supported with education, coaching, and opportunities to engage with diverse clinical teams.”
“These experiences not only strengthen clinical reasoning and technical skills but also highlight the values, expectations, and teamwork that define high‑quality patient‑centred care.”
“Our active collaboration with our post-secondary partners, is grounded in open communication, responsiveness to feedback, and a shared dedication to continuous improvement—ensures WIL programming remains relevant, rigorous, and aligned with student needs. NRGH’s sustained investment of staff time, mentorship, clinical space, and educational expertise demonstrates our commitment to experiential learning and to building a strong, resilient regional workforce.”
“This deep, collaborative, and student‑centered approach—rooted in mentorship excellence, experiential learning, and ongoing partnership—makes NRGH a proud recipient for WIL Industry Partner of the Year.”