The co-op program at the Université de Saint-Boniface

The co-op program, the ideal training to combine theory and practice  at the Université de Saint-Boniface

The Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) continues to offer its students programs that allow them to learn in the classroom and have professional experience in the business world. For the past 4 years, USB has been offering its Bachelor of Business Administration (BAA) students the opportunity to participate in the cooperative program.   

Offering paid professional internships with hiring opportunities

The objective of this program is to allow students to have a better understanding of the challenges of the business world through professional internships. Geneviève Bourrier, the coordinator of internships in business and technology at USB, explains: “The BAA program is carried out over a period of 4 years. With the co-op option, our students can complete three four-month paid internships. For 16 weeks, students can establish a long-term relationship with their employer. The goal is to create a mentoring opportunity, and if the internship goes well, there is often a chance of employment at the end of these experiences. ”  

The opportunity to test and consolidate their career choice

The co-op program also allows USB students to benefit from additional help with their future career choice. “Often, students starting the program don’t really know what job they want to do in the business world.  The three internships allow them to test several professional positions. Our students can thus consolidate their choices, or change their perspective on a job position,” explains Geneviève Bourrier.    

“Last year, one of our students wanted to work in finance, but he wasn’t sure about himself. He did an internship in this field, then a second one in general administration and marketing to test something different. In the end, his choice was made, and he knew definitively which field interested him most. We like to give our students the opportunity to try and choose what is best for them,” she adds.  

Creating strong connections between the university and the business world

A program that keeps its promises and allows the Université de Saint-Boniface to offer learning that combines experience and education: “For several years, we have been supported by the Government of Manitoba. The province wants students to have as much work experience as possible during their time at the university. I believe very much that learning in the job market is something very different from school. When a student has completed the Bachelor of Business Administration with the co-op option, they are ready to work, do an interview, and transition directly into a company, ” says Geneviève Bourrier.   

“There is currently a great shortage of employees in the business world, so our students are very solicited. For the 2021-2022 school year, we were able to double the number of our students compared to the previous year and we are very proud of it!”  

The Université de Saint-Boniface, a window on French diversity

For Geneviève Bourrier, “the Université de Saint-Boniface is a window on the Francophonie from around the world. The quality of our programs and our teachers, coming from Canada and French-speaking countries, is a huge asset. And then to be able to go to a post-secondary institution in a minority context in French, here in Manitoba, for me, it’s a luxury.”  

USB is a proud sponsor of the 2022 edition of the Fosse aux lions, which will take place on Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m., in person at the Théâtre Cercle Molière, and will be broadcast live on Facebook. Many prizes will be up for grabs, including a $15,000 prize for the winning business.

For more information about  the Fosse aux lions, click here