TORONTO – (BUSINESS WIRE) – A thousand Canadian high school students, who traditionally face learning barriers, will soon have meaningful learning experiences integrated into working with industry experts on a virtual campus.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Integrated Work Integrated Learning Program, Wavemakers is the first national work-integrated learning program that uses virtual reality to connect multiple high school students with leading employers across Canada. .
Leveraging cutting-edge technology, innovative curriculum and industry experience, Wavemakers offers all Canadian high school students an opportunity to choose a more diverse and inclusive future.
“We have a mission to expand opportunities for all Canadian high school students to succeed in tomorrow’s jobs,” says Krista Pawley, co-founder of Wavemakers. “Wavemakers bridges a critical gap by connecting high school students from traditionally underrepresented communities with future-focused entrepreneurs across Canada.” Through the eight-week program, students learn from industry leaders about the technologies and mindsets needed to thrive in the future of work.
“Wavemakers presented Edelman with a platform to connect with high-potential students from various communities in new ways,” says Bianca Boyd, Edelman’s CEO. “Our senior leaders will not only share their lived experiences with students, but will broaden their perspectives on how the workplace could and should be.”
Approximately 1,000 high school students from underrepresented communities (Blacks, First Nations, Métis, Inuit, LGBTQ2S, students with disabilities, neurodiversity students, rural and remote students, and women) will complete the Wavemakers program on March 31, 2022.
Throughout their experience, students will interact with industry leaders from various sectors.
“Wavemakers inspired me to continue to consider new ways of solving problems, such as [societal] the problems we face are becoming increasingly complex, ”says Mya Walz, a Wavemakers student in the beta cohort in the summer of 2021.
“The virtual reality campus offers students the flexibility to practice, explore, and complete meaningful work experiences from anywhere,” says Alison Reaves of NorQuest College. “The quality of Wavemakers content, along with the novelty of the experience, helps students stay engaged and make connections with other students and program mentors in a way that traditional online programs cannot do.” .
Wavemakers partners with colleges, universities, and coast-to-coast community organizations. Participating industry partners include CAMH, Cobalt Lawyers, Convergence.Tech, CompuVision, Cormorant Utility Services, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Deloitte Canada, Edelman Canada, Jacobs, Manulife, Paramount Fine Foods, Restaurant Brands International, Unwasted, Rooted and Rising, Rizing, Stem Cells Canada, Sunlife and TD Bank.
“We are excited to work in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), industry partners, post-secondary institutions and community groups across Canada,” says Oren Berkovich, co-founder of Wavemakers. “Together we are building a staff that is representative of the multicultural and dynamic nature of Canada.”
-30-
The Innovative Work in Innovation (I-WIL) learning initiative is for high school students to help them find opportunities related to their studies. I-WIL focuses on short, intensive activities that use technology.
ABOUT WAVEMAKERS
Wavemakers is an innovative work-integrated learning program supported by the Government of Canada, designed to connect multiple high school students with leading employers across Canada. Wavemakers is the ONLY learning program integrated into innovative work and accessible to all Canadian post-secondary students, wherever they are, using cutting-edge technologies, world-class experts and critical entrepreneur networks to get students ready. to make waves towards a brighter future.