Students with past work experience

Students with past work experience

by | Sep 24, 2025

In some cases, work you have done in the past may be recognized for co-op credit. The formal name of the process to do so is work-term by challenge. Here are more details about work term challenge.

NOTE: Work term challenges are not permitted for the Work Experience designation.

If you’re pursuing Co-op Distinction, and you’d like to receive credit for past work:

  1. Complete the Work Term Challenge Form. This is due on November 15.
  2. Submit a report to scico@uvic.ca following the Work Term Challenge Report Guidelines. This is due on November 30.
  3. Have your supervisor send an attestation to scico@uvic.ca using the Work Term Challenge Employer Attestation Template.
How to join science co-op

How to join science co-op

by | Sep 1, 2025

The science co-op programs will open to join in June 2026

SCIE 201 ad

Science Co-op Info Session

Click here to watch a recording of the session

Recorded Tuesday, Sept 9

Step 1. Register for SCIE 201/501: Introduction to Professional Practice

All new co-op students must register for SCIE 201/501: Introduction to professional practice through UVic online course registration.

  • SCIE 201/501 runs in the Winter Session (September – April) and is taken in addition to your regular course load. It consists of in-person classes and an interview clinic.
  • SCIE 201/501 is a non-credit course and the workload is not the same as an academic, for-credit course.
  • Seats in SCIE 201/501 are limited. Make sure to register as soon as you can to guarantee that you can participate on days and times that work with your schedule. Note that this is a year-long course so be sure to add both the fall and spring term sections to your timetable.
  • All students are required to complete SCIE 201/501 before their first work term.
  • There is no fee for SCIE201/501.

Graduate students

SCIE 201 is an undergraduate course. Graduate students will be added to SCIE 501 after they have been admitted to the program.

Step 2. Complete the Science Co-op Application Form

After you register for SCIE201/501, complete the Science Co-op Application Form in Learning in Motion. Learning in Motion (LIM), or “the portal” for short, is the platform used by the co-op office to track your co-op journey.

  1. Go to learninginmotion.uvic.ca and login as a student, using your UVic netlink ID and password.
  2. Select “Co-op” from the menu on the left side and then click on the “Apply to a Program” button in the top right. 
  3. Select your program (or intended program) from the list of options and complete the form.

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Problems with registration?

If you get a registration error, email scico@uvic.ca.  Be sure to include your first name, last name, V00 number, program of study, CRN for both sections, and the error(s) you are receiving from the registration system in your message.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our FAQ for more information about the programs, eligibility, timelines and more.

Have more questions? Connect with us at scico@uvic.ca.

What employers have to say

What employers have to say

by | Aug 8, 2025

Genomics Program

Why hire a UVic Science co-op student?

UVic science co-op students are part of a broader commitment to building healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities through hands-on learning.

They can bring a lot to your organization:

  • Relevant technical knowledge and the ability to apply it
  • Professional maturity from balancing academic and workplace expectations
  • A chance to mentor and assess future hires, reducing onboarding time and training costs
  • Flexible support for your projects and goals

How to post a job:

Feel free to share this page colleagues who might be interested. For more program details, click here.

Karia Kaukinen, Aquatic Science Biologist, Molecular Genetics, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada:

“Since January 2010, I have hired over 75 students which represents more than 30 years of mentorship. Every student has brought something unique and special to our team over the years. The investment in each student has increased our productivity, opened opportunities due to the hiring flexibility, and provided useful technical assistance. I have personally, met with each student throughout their time with us and I am forever changed by all of them, friends with many of them, and boss to a few of them! If you have considered hiring a co-op student, I say do it!”

Virgil Hawkes, President/CEO, LGL Limited:

“Co-op students play a vital role in strengthening LGL Limited’s environmental teams. Our work terms are more than just learning opportunities – they are a gateway for students to gain hands-on experience in field data collection, plant and wildlife identification, and tackling real-world environmental challenges. By involving students in applied biology practices, we help shape the next generation of professionals, instilling scientific rigor and ethical responsibility from the start of their careers. Past co-op students have consistently brought energy, resourcefulness, and fresh perspectives that enrich our workplace and contribute meaningfully to our projects.”

Ahmed Siah, PhD, Managing Director, BC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences:

“A dedicated and knowledgeable student, UVic students have consistently demonstrated exceptional professionalism, leadership skills, and a high level of independence in their work related to diagnostic in aquatic health sciences.”

Paul Winston, Medical Director for Rehabilitation and Transitions, Island Health, and Clinical Associate Professor UBC and the Island Medical Program:

“Co-op students have enabled us to double our capacity to see patients and quadrupled our ability to conduct research. Our students are involved in every aspect of patient care, from greeting them, creating safe, validating spaces, preparing them for procedures, assisting with technology, documenting patient outcomes, establishing goals and conducting research.  We have no capacity to hire new staff or solve the high flow of patients. Students have made our clinical work fun, engaging and much better. The students remain connected to our team long after they leave and continue their patient care advocacy. For the patients, having more time to tell their stories and ensure their needs are met is a win-win. We simply could not function as we do without their help.” 

UVic Science Co-op Job Posting Template

by | Aug 8, 2025

There are a lot of details that we ask you include in your co-op job postings. You can download a template to use for your job posting here.

 

Co-op term A typical co-op work term is 4 months long, with a minimum of 12 weeks of full time work.  
Job title Include a clear job title that describes the position. For example, “Policy Research Assistant” is more clear than “Summer Student.”
Start date Work terms line up with UVic’s academic terms and usually start in January, May or September. This lets students move easily between work and studying.
End date
Salary/wage View salary estimates by program
Hours per week
Job location
Number of positions
Onsite, remote, or hybrid?
Job description

 
Qualifications

 Use this tool to search for skills by program  
For relevant employers as defined by the BC Criminal Review Act: Will this position require a co-op student to complete a Criminal Records check?: Yes/No
Type of student Undergraduate/Graduate
Are there any restrictions that would hinder hiring of non-Canadian students with a valid work permit? Yes/No
Application deadline  Jobs are normally posted for 2 weeks
Application procedure
  • Through UVic posting system
  • Employer email 
  • Employer website
Application material required
  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Transcript
  • Writing sample
  • References
  • Other:
Targeted co-op programs
  • Biochemistry/Microbiology
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Climate Science
  • Data Science
  • Earth and Ocean Science
  • Physics/Astronomy
  • Math/Statistics
  • Other

Providing Feedback

by | Jan 5, 2025

Feedback is crucial to support students during their learning journey. However, research shows that students often do not read feedback (Leki, 1992), and if they do read it, they read it to understand their grade and only apply what they learn from feedback to the assignment on which it is given. Therefore, try to avoid giving too much feedback and error correction so that it is not overwhelming.  Your aim is to provide feedback to help students improve their academic skills and learn (Walvoord & Anderson, 1998; Straub, 2000).

There are five key components to providing constructive feedback:

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Planned

Feedback focused on the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) is most relevant to students

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Focused

Do not provide students a ‘blizzard’ of feedback with each piece its own ‘snowflake’, but rather focus on two or three areas of feedback per assignment. Focus the feedback where it will be the most beneficial for the student, both to attain the course ILOs and for their learning process.

I

Timely

Provide feedback promptly while the assignment is still fresh as students are interested in receiving the feedback and learning it. Provide feedback early in the process to help students learn and improve their assignment and resulting grade (for example, consider having students submit a draft).

I

Applicable

Think of it as “feedback” and “feed-forward”: what advice can you give that will help students do better on the next assignment, in the next course, and in their next year of study? If marking by hand, ensure your comments are legible and readable by all students. Consider typing the feedback if your handwriting is hard to read.

I

Neutral

Remember that the words that you write on a student’s paper can have a much more negative impact than you intended (see ‘Feedback comments’ section below). If you feel frustrated when marking, it is a good idea to set the marking aside, take a break, and do something a bit different until you can approach marking and feedback with a more neutral tone.

  • Comment on things that are done well.  Don’t just focus on what needs to be improved. For example, where someone has done a great job of marketing their skills, commend it to help boost their confidence. 
  • Make comments that are constructive, kind, to the point, and actionable.   When you think something can be improved, suggest ways to improve it. 

Here are some examples:

  • “It could be better if …”
  • “This section is unclear / vague / not explained well enough.  Consider adding or changing …”
  • “It is not clear how this is connected to the job description. Could you explain how this is relevant?”

Before commenting, think about how you would like to receive feedback if someone was helping you with your application package.

  • What would you find helpful? 
  • What would make you feel frustrated or make you doubt you could improve your application?

Four tips for overcoming stage fright in the lab

Four tips for overcoming stage fright in the lab

by | Jun 4, 2024

In an article for Nature, Kwabena Boahen Asare from Dartmouth College discusses his experience contending with his fear of public speaking after joining a research laboratory that required monthly meetings and presentations.

Asare outlines four strategies that worked for him:

  1. Participating in deep breathing before a presentation
  2. Focusing on the core concepts of the presentation as opposed to the audience
  3. Seeking out honest feedback
  4. Rehearsing multiple times

“Each presentation, regardless of how frightening it might have been, served as a stepping stone to overcoming my stage fright and becoming a more confident speaker,” concludes Asare.

Using online training and platforms to build your resume

Using online training and platforms to build your resume

by | May 21, 2024

Lab safety course – optional but a great option if you are planning to apply to lab based co-op jobs

Safety first!

Throughout your time with Co-op you may be exposed to workplace environments and materials that have the potential to cause harm if you are not adequately prepared.

To best support a safe Co-op (and beyond!) experience, you can complete an optional course in Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS).

This is a free, not-for-credit, online course.

Register here

How to Complete the Training

    1. Click Register to start.
    2. Work through the WHMIS Training Module.
    3. After working through the module, complete the WHMIS Training Quiz. You have 3 attempts.
    4. Once you have scored 80% on the Quiz, log in to Learning Central and Collect your certificate. Your certificate of completion will be emailed to you.

Where are all the local job postings?

Where are all the local job postings?

by | Jan 9, 2024

This density plot show that most science co-op jobs are posted on day 14 of each term.

That said, Victoria employers tend to post their co-op jobs later in the term. These will be a mix of 4 and 8 month positions.

In addition, many labs on campus don’t post jobs on the co-op portal as they expect that interested students will take initiative to reach to them individually. I recommend writing an email to the faculty members who are doing research that is interesting to you.

Finding a researcher

Not every researcher will post a job on the co-op portal, but many will have funding to hire students for the summer. Here are some links that list different researchers in the various departments who hire students:

Research Centers

Making the connection

You should send a brief note where you ask to set up an informational interview with a researcher or a senior lab member to discuss summer opportunities in the lab.

In this email, say what it is about the projects that this lab is working on that are compelling you to reach out. Let them know your GPA and whether you are NSERC-USRA eligible. Don’t attach a resume or transcript yet, but be prepared to provide this information at the meeting.

You may need to be persistent and send the message twice – I would recommend waiting a week before reaching out a second time.

Last but not least – another blog post that you might find helpful.

Local associations and industry groups

Local associations and industry groups

by | Dec 3, 2023

Do you know the local associations and industry groups related to your program?

One of the best steps you can take in your career is getting involved with local professional associations and industry groups. These organizations often offer networking events, student rates, mentorship, specialized industry job boards, and conversations with professionals who want to support emerging talent.

Here are a few great groups in Greater Victoria to explore:

VIATEC (Victoria Innovation, Advanced Technology & Entrepreneurship Council): https://www.viatec.ca/
Ideal for students in Business, Tech, Entrepreneurship, Engineering, and Marketing. Hosts events, job boards, and a strong local startup/tech community.

COAST (Centre for Ocean Applied Sustainable Technologies): https://canadacoast.ca/
Ideal for students interested in ocean tech, marine sciences, sustainability, engineering, and environmental innovation.

Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce: https://lnkd.in/g7xF3cFP
The Chamber hosts networking events, workshops, and panels that connects students from all disciplines with employers, entrepreneurs, and leaders across the region.

South Island Prosperity Partnership (SIPP): https://lnkd.in/g2f2K7cZ
Focused on regional economic development, innovation, and collaboration. Great for business, public administration, economics, and policy-minded students.

Island Women in Science & Technology (iWIST): https://www.iwist.ca/
iWIST brings together women and allies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math located in the West Coast island communities

Vancouver Island Life Sciences (VILS): https://www.vils.ca/
Vancouver Island Life Sciences association (VILS) is a volunteer, nonprofit society that brings together the life-sciences community in Victoria and around the Island, and connects it with the global life science community.

If you’re exploring co-op pathways or building your career direction, these groups are a great place to begin building relationships.

Showing up, asking insightful questions, and getting plugged in to the local community can open doors to co-ops, mentorship, and meaningful opportunities.

3 questions to help build relationships at networking events

3 questions to help build relationships at networking events

by | Oct 31, 2023

Networking is more that just meeting new people. It’s also about maintaining existing relationships. This involves staying in touch with contacts, sharing updates on your work, and offering support and assistance when needed. This all supports your career growth and development.

Here are three questions you can ask at your next event to start to grow you professional network.

  1. Start by asking where they did their undergrad
    • Reply to show you know something about the school or the area.
    • Using humour can be a great way to get the conversation rolling.
    • Try gently poking fun (any other school in Canada will have worse weather than UVic!)
  2. Next, ask for some advice: What can I do in my first few years after school to succeed?
    • This is where you can tap into someone’s enthusiasm for their field
    • Follow their lead and start to build rapport
    • Thank them for the great advice
  3. Conclude by asking  “Do you mind if I keep in touch with how things go?”
    • When you use that great advice you got, let them know that they saved you time, you learned so much.
    • This will continue to build the relationship over time.
    • As this camaraderie grows, the network of people you can call on when you are looking for your next opportunity will expand as well.