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Module 2: Types of WIL in Canada

Module 2

5. Internship

What are Internships?

Internships are structured, discipline-specific work-integrated learning (WIL) placements that offer students full-time work experience, typically 12 to 16 months, either during or after their academic program. These placements can be paid or unpaid and may be for academic credit.

Internships are designed to be intentional and semi-structured, with a strong emphasis on supervision, mentorship, and student development. They allow employers more flexibility than Co-ops while still offering a valuable, skill-building experience to the student.

Examples of internship placements:

  • Graphic design intern for a marketing agency
  • HR intern supporting recruitment and onboarding
  • Research assistant in environmental sciences
  • Communications intern in a non-profit organization

Key Features

  • Paid or unpaid, full-time work experience
  • Typically lasts 12 to 16 months
  • Can be credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing
  • Occurs during or after coursework
  • Requires supervision and mentorship
  • Usually includes final evaluation; midpoints vary by program

Why Choose Internships?

Internships are a powerful way for employers to increase capacity, mentor future professionals, and contribute to skill development in their field. According to CEWIL, internships help host organizations:

  1. Fill short-term staffing needs
  2. Support day-to-day operations with motivated students
  3. Build your long-term talent pipeline
  4. Get resource support for existing or new projects
  5. Boost your organization's visibility and reputation with students and institutions

Internships offer more flexibility than some other WIL types and can be customized to fit unique roles and timelines.

Project Lifecycle

Internships follow a four-phase structure (programs may vary):

  • Onboarding: Define the business need and student role. Consider budget, mentorship capacity, and desired length of the placement. Create clear job descriptions and outcomes to support recruitment.
  • Midpoint Check-In: While not always required, a midpoint review is recommended to assess progress, provide feedback, and support reflection and mentorship.
  • Final Assessment: Complete an end-of-term evaluation (institutional involvement varies). If funding was received, you may be required to submit feedback to the funding agency. Evaluate outcomes based on learning goals, skills, and business contributions.
  • Offboarding: Reflect on return on investment and consider integrating WIL into your long-term recruitment and training strategy. Many employers use internships to refine future internship roles or convert interns into hires.

Real-World Examples

The Victoria Chamber of Commerce created an internship program to support key business projects. By assessing organizational needs and identifying skill gaps, they matched interns with revenue-generating activities—demonstrating a clear link between internship outcomes and business goals.

At RebalanceMD, interns worked alongside a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals. Through hands-on mentorship and feedback, students built professional competencies and gained clarity about their career goals while contributing to patient-focused outcomes.