Interest from students and companies has been higher than expected, Fredericks said. The students they train in the summer will work there all year long and, if they like, they can eventually hire the student. It's sort of a trial period. Staff from the center also meet with supervisors twice during the practicum to get feedback on student performance. If all goes well during the first year, students and employers have the option of renewing the placement for another year.
Professional development is a core characteristic of the program.
Before being placed, students take a series of CSPD seminars in writing resumes, interviewing and researching companies. During the year, participants also take four seminars in areas such as effective teamwork, communicating and presentations. To participate in the engineering practicum, students must have a GPA of 2.67 or better and must have completed at least four semesters of coursework.