- Description: A creative and digital marketing agency based in Nanaimo, specializing in web design, digital marketing, and branding.
- Careers Website: Array Careers
- Description: Provides digital marketing services including web design, online advertising, and SEO.
- Careers Website: Typically available on Bravenet Marketing’s website
- Description: Known for car rental services and extensive marketing initiatives.
- Careers Website: Enterprise Holdings Careers
- Description: A social media management platform known for marketing and analytics tools.
- Careers Website: Hootsuite Careers
- Description: Specializes in digital advertising, PR, and media buying.
- Careers Website: Jelly Marketing Careers
- Description: Renowned for yoga wear and athletic apparel with strong brand marketing.
- Careers Website: Lululemon Careers
- Description: A global prestige retail brand in the beauty industry, known for its marketing strategies.
- Careers Website: Sephora Canada Careers
The employer supervisor plays a key role as a co-educator in the training and learning process of the student.
This person will be an experienced and qualified individual who will be available throughout the work term. Specific responsibilities include:
- To provide the student with meaningful work related to their field of study.
- To participate in the development of the learning goals of the student at the outset of the work term.
- To arrange for introductions and orientation, including a review of policies and procedures, necessary to facilitate the student’s successful entry into the organization.
- To clearly outline and articulate expectations of the student.
- To oversee the student’s progress and to provide feedback to the student on their performance, including: ongoing informal feedback as needed to correct or encourage, and one formal feedback discussion in collaboration with the student and internship work-integrated learning faculty (mid-point assessment).
- To discuss in a timely manner, any concerns regarding student progress with the work-integrated learning faculty as needed.
- Ensure that any site-specific protocol and work term agreements are met.
Accident or injury
It is the responsibility of the employer supervisor to ensure that an intern is covered by WSB-like insurance while participating in a work term. If the intern is a paid employee, you must add the intern to your policy. For interns in unpaid internships within the province of British Columbia, there is coverage through Vancouver Island University for Work Safe BC.
If an intern has an accident or experiences a lost-time injury at work, please report it immediately to the WSB and to the intern's Internship WIL faculty.
The student is a leader in his or her own professional and personal development.
Specific expectations of a student during a WIL experience are:
- Actively participate in the WIL process by developing learning goals and objectives.
- Commit to taking initiative and following guidance from supervisor/mentor at the host organization and develop and put to use practice skills obtained, including where appropriate classroom learning.
- Comply with the principles of confidentiality, policies and procedures and hours of work.
- Seek out information regarding any specific protocols or contractual agreements that may pertain to the specific workplace.
- Demonstrate professional attitude, ethics and conduct when interacting with clients and employer’s personnel.
- Remain in the WIL position for the required number of days and hours specified by the program and employers.
- Report illness and/or absence to the employers as soon as possible.
- Maintain contact with the work-integrated learning faculty, keeping them informed of any changes, concerns or issues that arise during the work term.
- Arrange and participate in feedback sessions; mid-point assessment and and formal evaluation processes involving the employers and their work-integrated learning faculty.
- Adhere to the rules and regulations of the employer workplace (i.e. dress, working hours, procedures).
- Be clear about and express their learning goals in writing to the employers at the beginning of the work term; and formulate with the employers the work term record that describes what the student will do to accomplish the learning goals.
- Be responsible to their employers for their work assignments and work performance.
The work-integrated learning (WIL) faculty, through the Centre for Experiential Learning, is responsible for teaching the academic course(s) associated with WIL and supervising the work term process. It is the responsibility of the WIL faculty to:
- Meet with and review the student’s learning needs and interests.
- Engage in community development practices; recruit and encourage organizations to become employers, acquire job postings, engage in networking events and professional development and align with appropriate associations.
- Provide students with information regarding employers, expectations and outline the work term process.
- Ensure that both student and employers are informed of any specific work term protocols or contractual agreements that are site specific.
- Provide the employers with information about the program, WIL procedures, expectations and evaluation process.
- Be available to employers for clarification or consultation on the Internship process.
- Ensure that the employer has confirmed the work term record.
- Ensure that the learning goals and objectives developed by the student are defined and discussed with the employer. The learning plan should include learning objectives, tasks and responsibilities, and scheduled times for consultation.
- Ensure students have the information related to general ethical practice, confidentiality and appropriate conduct prior to placement.
- Seek to ensure that the student receives feedback and support through supervision and ongoing evaluation from the employers.
- Be available to the employer and the student.
- Ensure that evaluations of the student’s progress are received and that adequate feedback on the evaluation is provided to the student.
- Intervene for the purpose of problem solving, conflict resolution or handling of any other concerns or issues that may arise during the work term.
- Provide students with instruction in the work-integrated planning course to prepare them to successfully obtain a work-integrated learning experience.
- Orient students to the learning goals, objectives, content, structure and process, evaluation and grading.
- Facilitate the evaluation process and assign final grade.
Role of WIL faculty in the case of a challenging situation
Work-integrated learning (WIL) faculty are here to help in the event that there is a significant challenge or issue in the work term. Please do not hesitate to contact the WIL faculty associated with the intern you have brought into your organization for advice, questions or support.
Mediation before resorting to termination
WIL faculty are responsible and available to mediate when the employer supervisor has attempted to coach an intern in, for example, changing their behavior to better fit the workplace, accomplish the tasks assigned to them or other management issues. Many times the WIL faculty can have a direct conversation with the intern that you do not feel you can. We appreciate the opportunity to act as mediator and to help you manage your intern before you resort to termination/dismissal.
Quitting
If an intern should quit, please contact the WIL faculty immediately.
Additional Resources
Criteria and the Validation Process
Activities recognized on the CCR must be approved by one of the University’s evaluation committees and they must meet the following minimum criteria:
The activity must be affiliated to the University through the sponsorship of a member of the University’s faculty or staff.
Successful completion of the activity must be validated by a recognized faculty/staff validator.
The learning developed through participation in the activity must be intentionally associated with at least one of VIU’s Graduate Attributes.
Students must demonstrate goal-setting and intentional, active, and reflective learning throughout their engagement in the activity.
Students must complete a minimum of 15 hours for each position activity.
Non-academic credit can be recorded on the CCR.
The 2025 Conference
Navigating Sustainability
Internships must meet all of the following criteria:
- Offer tasks which allow students to directly apply their learning from the MBA program; aligning to a minimum of 6 courses' program learning outcomes. View MBA course outlines
- Take place in a professional business environment
- Have a designated mentor (preferably the same mentor throughout the internship) who can provide ongoing consistent oversight and feedback to the student and who agrees to fully participate in the internship process. This includes signing the Internship Work Term Agreement, registering in CareerVIU, reviewing the work term record and completing the e check-in record, meeting with the student and work-integrated learning faculty for a mid-point visit and completing the online employer final evaluation
To start the process of hiring an MBA intern go to our "Getting Started" page for more info on the process: Get Started!
Experience Hub
Supporting Students in Distress Resource for the Nanaimo Campus
