Conestoga news

March 23, 2018 12:29 PM

Co-op employers and students honoured at celebration

To celebrate National Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning Week, Conestoga’s Career Centre and Co-operative Education and Corporate Training departments hosted an awards breakfast on March 22 to recognize the college’s outstanding employer partners and co-op students.

During the celebration at the Doon campus, local employers and workplace supervisors were presented with awards for their support of Conestoga’s programs, students and clients. Conestoga’s Co-op Students of the Year were also announced.

Following the awards presentation, Paul Osborne, associate vice-president Marketing and Community Relations, thanked the college’s co-op employers for their tremendous support and commented on the unique benefits that co-op programs deliver to both students and the local community: employer partners mentor students and provide real-world experience while students bring value to businesses that help them thrive.

“It’s a beautiful win-win partnership that we value greatly here at Conestoga,” said Osborne.

Employer of Distinction Awards

  • Arvato Digital Services Canada
  • Automation Tooling Systems
  • Canada Revenue Agency
  • Erwin Hymer Group North America
  • Fresh Start Renos & Paint
  • Greenwood Court (Tri-County Mennonite Homes)
  • Guelph General Hospital
  • Nasira Nasim CPA & Associates
  • One Care, Home & Community Services
  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
  • Vuteq Canada
  • Ward & Uptigrove Chartered Professional Accountants
  • Waterloo Regional Police Service
  • YMCA of Stratford Perth

Mentor of the Year Awards

  • Greg Brooks - Nuance Communications
  • Andrea Huxtable and Brian Collins - Peel Regional Police
  • Karen Hohenadel - Schlegel Villages 

Co-op Student of the Year Awards   

  • Elaine Tustin-Smith - Bachelor of Public Relations
  • Erin Wetzel - Bachelor of Interior Design
  • Keaton Foster - Bachelor of Community and Criminal Justice
  • Ashfaq Ahmad - Public Service
  • Emily Tarrant - Bachelor of Design
  • Tyler Akerfeldt - Mechanical Engineering Technician - Tool and Die/Tool Maker

Through their programs, nearly 70 per cent of Conestoga students have access to work-integrated learning experiences which provide relevant hands-on learning in support of students’ education and future careers. More than 50 Conestoga programs offer a co-op component, resulting in more than 2,000 co-op work terms annually, and Conestoga is just one of two colleges in the province to offer accredited co-op programs.

Visit the college website for more information about Co-operative Education, Conestoga's Career Centre and Corporate Training.