With COVID-19’s impact on the Canadian economy, a greater than usual number of engineering co-op students are currently available. Faculty members are encouraged to consider hiring UBCO engineering students for remote research opportunities this summer.
Do you need help with a research project? And can this research be completed remotely? If so, there are students available who would value an exciting research experience.
The co-op work term can now be as short as 8 weeks, or 280 total hours, to assist during the current coronavirus outbreak. Work can be completed as part-time work from May through August, or as full-time work for 8 weeks starting as late as July 6. This concession increases the affordability of hiring a co-op student. Faculty are also eligible to apply for two different funding options from:
- Applied Science Dean’s Office Subsidy
$2,500 per engineering co-op student hired for research co-op positions. All APSC faculty are eligible until funds are exhausted. This funding is not available if NSERC USRA, WLIURA, or UBCO IUSRA funding has been received. - International Student Co-op Hiring Grant
50 per cent of the student’s salary up to a maximum of $5,000 per international co-op student hired. All faculty are eligible to apply if hiring an international student.
Additional funding may also be available from Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) partners, such as Empowering Futures, ECO Canada and Biotalent.
Students must be paid at least minimum wage ($13.85/hr currently, and $14.60/hr as of June 1, 2020). Given a shortened work term and potential funding options, you can hire a co-op student for approximately $2,000 this summer.
Also, note that students from UBCO’s interdisciplinary co-op program are also available for research positions with faculty. International student hires from this program will be eligible for the International Student Co-op Hiring Grant.
For more information on co-op hiring or funding available, please contact Sarah Nhan at sarah.nhan@ubc.ca.
