Hello everyone! I wanted to start my article by congratulating those of you who have found a job for Spring 2014, and to encourage those who are still looking for job placements to stay positive! There is still plenty of time to find your placements for the spring term!
This issue I wanted to talk about the progress of the WaterlooWorks project that will be replacing JobMine within the next year. CECA has been working with Orbis Communications Inc. since May of last year to develop a custom package for the University of Waterloo. There have been a number of recent developments that students will be excited to hear about.
First and foremost, the decision to allow students one “no rank” option per term has been confirmed. This is a fantastic decision that moves the co-op process one step closer to a “real world” scenario. Additionally, it will create a more level playing field between students and employers (who currently have the option to not rank students). Furthermore, this decision will likely result in a reduced number of students requesting sign-offs from jobs, ultimately allowing CECA staff members more time allocated to career mentoring. Finally, there is a general consensus that employers would rather not hire a student who has no desire to work for them. At the end of the day, the “no rank” option will likely result in happier students, and happier employers respectively.
Another exciting feature for students is the key word search. The key word search is going to allow students a much more effective way of finding jobs that specifically interest them. I think everyone can agree that a lot of employers (especially ones new to the hiring process at Waterloo) don’t necessarily post their jobs under the most appropriate program category. The key word search will help students bypass this issue by finding jobs with the specific terminology that interests them. There are a number of other differences between our current software and the WaterlooWorks software, and I encourage you to visit www.uwaterloo.ca/ceca-systems to learn more about them.
As far as implementation timelines go, the first trial of WaterlooWorks will begin with the Architecture students this Spring 2014. Architecture has been selected since they are a conveniently isolated group in terms of co-op: they apply to architecture specific employers, who in turn target architecture students solely. The WaterlooWorks software will continue to be developed moving into Fall 2014, where a larger trial group will utilize the software for hiring in the fall. This group is yet to be confirmed. Finally, full implementation is scheduled for Winter 2014.
CECA is working hard to develop a system that makes the hiring process easier on students. That being said, they need more student feedback to represent students effectively! CECA has been conducting student polls over the past few months, and I encourage you to voice your opinions through them. You can also get involved via student panel at www.uwaterloo.ca/ceca-systems. Help ensure you get a software package that…WORKS for you!
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