Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSHA) students are trained in the human skills that Canadian employers all say they need the most, but they remain underrepresented in the work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities that help graduates land jobs.
Our strategy report outlines how to close this gap. BHER and its partners have developed a suite of WIL programs that address the dual needs of Canada’s employers and higher education ecosystem: the demand for human skills, and better school-to-work transitions for liberal arts students.
Based on the evidence and lessons learned from BHER-funded WIL programs that have successfully created over 5,000 WILs for SSHA students across Canada, we lay out the strategies that work for both institutions and employers. We include case study spotlights of initiatives by BHER members Concordia University and York University, as well as examples from our partnerships with over 30 post-secondaries and industry organizations.
Read the full report to see how we can use WIL to strengthen workforce readiness for arts students and grow resilient talent pipelines with the human skills we need.
