A Milestone in Co-operative Education at Thompson Rivers University
Jamie Noakes is the editor of “University to Career: Creating a Successful Transition” and is actively planning our next writing retreat to ensure we have a new version released June 2024.
I am excited to write the inaugural blog post for the ACE-WIL Newsletter Professional Development series, an initiative dedicated to guiding educators on the seamless integration of “From University to Career: Creating a Successful Transition” into their work-integrated learning curricula.
This series is not just about showcasing chapters of the textbook but aims to offer insights into practical implementation strategies. You can access the textbook here.
It’s exciting to see that since its launch in June 2023, our textbook has garnered over 1700 readers from more than 10 countries, with a significant audience from Canada, the United States, India, and the Philippines.
Integrating the Textbook into our Co-op 1000: Career Management Course
At Thompson Rivers University, we have a centralized department named Career and Experiential Learning. We offer 3 key areas: Co-operative Education, Career Development and Experiential Learning. As a faculty model, our department offers a 1 credit co-op prep course, a 3-credit career development course for non-coop students and several service-learning courses for community volunteer engagement and study abroad. Our 3-credit co-op work term courses are for elective credit and depending on the program, students can have 2-3 work terms count toward elective credit.
In Fall 2023, when teaching my Co-op 1000: Career Management course, I found integrating the textbook an exciting activity for me. Mainly because this signaled the completion of a very long project for our team!! I incorporated the textbook link into my course Moodle site and created a structured reading list that aligned with each weekly topic.
On the first day, I illustrated how to navigate the textbook and discussed the reading expectations for the course. During each class, I actively used the textbook, providing tangible examples of how the chapters related to our discussions. Two key activities I emphasized were the resume catalogue and career development plan templates, which support students in developing their resumes and career planning.
As I plan for future courses, I aim to integrate more textbook assignments as mandatory activities, including the career development planning tool.
Through this blog series, it’ll be exciting to hear how each author integrates their chapter into their curriculum. Especially since we have faculty members who teach within each key area of our department, therefore providing a different lens for each blog.
Chapter Feedback Tool: Your Voice Matters
As we embark on this blog series, we invite you to explore each chapter and provide valuable feedback through our Chapter Feedback Tool
We value your thoughts and suggestions, ensuring this resource remains high-quality and applicable across a diverse post-secondary landscape. If you believe there are missing chapters or have ideas for improvement, let us know.
The 2024 edition will welcome new authors, and your input can shape the evolution of this initiative. Additionally, the textbook is adaptable for your institution – contact Jamie Noakes at jnoakes@tru.ca for a copy that you can adapt.
In summary, the ACE-WIL Professional Development series is not just about a textbook; it’s about creating an enriched learning experience for students entering work-integrated learning opportunities. Your feedback and participation are invaluable in shaping future editions of this resource. Together, let’s continue to bridge the gap from university to a successful career for our students.