Experiential learning is an important component of the teaching/learning experience both inside and outside of the classroom. Getting hands-on experience not only provides you with valuable exposure to the marketplace and work practices, it also provides the context to better understand academic business concepts.
There are four means by which you can take advantage of experiential learning at the Redeemer Business Department:
Co-op Program
Co-op students typically complete two eight-month work terms of paid employment in a business or not-for-profit organization. This will extend your time at Redeemer to five academic years. There is a minimum grade requirement for participation in the Co-op program, which is a B- (approximately 70%) average in your Business courses.
The breadth of Co-op employers and jobs is diverse, including public accounting firms, banks, marketing communication firms, manufacturing operations, horticultural operations, software companies, hospitals, and community organizations. Employers range in size from small one-person businesses to national and international firms employing up to hundreds of employees in one operation, which provides you with a choice of work atmospheres.
Your participation in the Business Co-op Program will:
- Build confidence as you apply newly-gained knowledge and skills on the job.
- Enhance learning in subsequent course work, since you will be able to build on your work experiences.
- Provide opportunities to “test drive” your career choice.
- Make you more aware of your interests and abilities, and where or how they can best be utilized in the workplace.
- Provide exposure to techniques and technology not available in the classroom setting.
- Give you experience in adapting to change and working with people under the typical demands of the workplace today.
- Improve employment prospects after graduation by providing you with marketable job experience.
- Assist in funding subsequent academic terms.
Internships
"I recommend that every student take an internship. It is an excellent way to bring the "know how" from the classroom, into real life, hands on experience!" - Janine Haanstra (Internship at Hamilton International Airport)
An internship is a field experience for fourth-year business students working in a business or not-for-profit organization under the direction of an employer supervisor. Usually an internship involves working ten hours per week over the course of a semester, and counts for a full course credit. Internships may be unpaid or paid. Workplace assignments involve a problem-solving component, a communications component, and/or exposure to multiple areas of the business. You also meet periodically with a professor, who reviews any written reports prepared for your employer and/or a journal in which work assignments are related to academic experiences.
Internships provide another way to obtain relevant work experience, apply classroom concepts, and test out career interests.
Simulations
Through simulations you learn by role-playing. It may be as simple as being a buyer or seller in a simulated apple market to determine market prices in an economics class. Alternatively, the simulation may span almost an entire course, as is the case in Introduction to Business, where you and your team run your own business using a computer simulation. You make weekly production, marketing, financing and staffing decisions for products, and compete against one another for market share, profit, and contributions made to the community. Other examples of in-class experiential learning practicing coaching skills in Leadership and preparing a business plan for entrepreneurship.
The Redeemer Business Department has also had the privilege of hosting a number of experiential learning programs led by
Eagle’s Flight, Creative Training Excellence Inc., a global provider of corporate training based in Guelph. These simulations are designed to illustrate concepts like effective teamwork, goal setting, productivity, leadership, and the power of information.
Client Projects
The projects for some courses involve working with actual clients. For example, Personal Finance involves development of a financial plan for a couple or family. Marketing Research requires you to work with a client to help determine who needs the client’s product and/or how best to reach those customers. Strategic Management and Leadership courses often incorporate a “live case study” where you interact with a client to help develop a strategic plan or vision for the client’s organization.