In November 2022, the UBC Career Centre announced the number of awards allocated to each Faculty/School. Please contact your 2023 Faculty/School/Department Coordinator to find out how many awards are available to your Faculty/School for the summer term.

2023 Resources for Faculty/School/Department Coordinators

Please find hyperlinks to important reference tools and required documents below:

• Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards Information Sheet for Faculty/School/Department Coordinators 23-24
• Flowchart Information for Faculty/School/Department Coordinators 23-24
• Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 23-24
• Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 23-24 (Faculty of Arts)
• Flowchart Information for Students 23-24
• Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards Information Sheet for Appointing Students 23-24 (updated March 7, 2023)
• Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards Information Sheet for Appointing Students 23-24 (Faculty of Arts) (updated March 7, 2023)
• Summer 2023 FAQs  (Updated November 24, 2022)

Faculty members will need to submit their research proposal on UBC CareersOnline. 

The Summer 2023 Call for Research Proposals will open from November 28, 2022 to February 3, 2023. If you have any specific questions, please contact worklearn.iura@ubc.ca. 

Proposals submitted for the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards serve two purposes:

1. To apply for a subsidy from the program,

2. To provide a clear and detailed position to communicate the work opportunity to students.

Download a step-by-step submission guide on how to submit a research proposal on UBC CareersOnline. You will need a UBC CareersOnline EMPLOYER account to submit the proposal. In the research proposal, please address the following:

• Outline of Research Project - Please provide a high-level overview of the research project. How will the student advance and contribute to the goals of the project?
• Student Responsibilities - Please provide a description of the different tasks that the student will be performing. Who will be the student's supervisor? Please describe the level of interaction and ongoing support the student will receive. 
• Skills Gained from the Position - Select all skills from the picklist that apply to the research position. 
• Qualifications - What skills/knowledge should the student possess to be successful in this position? 

Please contact worklearn.iura@ubc.ca if you have any questions regarding the research proposal and/or the program.

Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 23-24

Flowchart Information for Faculty Supervisors 23-24 (Faculty of Arts)

Approved research proposals will be posted on UBC CareersOnline for two weeks during the posting dates (March 13 - 26, 2023). If you have indicated that a candidate has already been identified for the position, it will not be posted on UBC CareersOnline, and you will not receive any student applications. 

If you would like to learn how to manage your applications and student communications or generate an applicant view book, please contact our office at worklearn.iura@ubc.ca. 

Interviewing and Hiring Students: 

Visit UBC HR for information on general student hiring practices, and our office is also available to support you if you have questions about interviewing, selecting, or supervising students. We provide templates for interviews below in the Resources for Supervisors section.     

As supervisors, you are responsible for your student(s) wages.  Once you have selected your candidate, faculty supervisors must appoint their student by submitting a Hire Business Process (BP) through Workday by the deadline date provided. Hire BPs will be automatically routed to our approval queue once submitted in Workday. It's important to have students appointed in their positions prior to starting work.

If you have any questions about the Work Learn International Undergraduate Research Awards student appointment process, please contact Workplace Learning staff, UBC Career Centre at worklearn.iura@ubc.ca.

If you have specific questions about Workday, please contact the UBC IRP team for further support. 

2023 Information Sheet for Appointing Students (updated March 7, 2023)

2023 Information Sheet for Appointing Students (Faculty of Arts) (updated March 7, 2023)

The normal duration of the award is a minimum of 16 consecutive weeks.  Award winners are required to work full time (35 paid hours/week plus 1-hour unpaid lunch break) during the summer term (May 1 – August 31).  Under exceptional circumstances students can work less than 16 consecutive weeks (prior approval from the UBC Career Centre is needed).

Visit UBC HR for information on general student hiring and practices and Resources for Supervisors section below for onboarding resources and evaluation templates for student staff, and UBC Safety and Risk Services for information on mandatory training for all UBC workers. 

Staff from the UBC Career Centre will conduct site visits midway through the summer term (June/July). Site visits offer a chance for students and supervisors to reflect on and share how their experience has been going, particularly in the areas of learning, challenge, and growth. Site visits are consistently cited by students as a powerful tool for them to articulate their learning experiences and transferable skills. We will contact you directly if you have been selected for a site visit. 

Students and faculty supervisors will be asked to complete an evaluation of their experience in August, which will be initiated by the UBC Career Centre.

The UBC Career Centre will arrange to transfer $6,000 (per student) to Faculty/School accounts at the end of the work placement (September/October). These funds will be transferred to the Worktag that is used to pay the student’s salary in Workday. 

The hiring process doesn't only happen during the interview; it begins the moment you decide to fill a need in your unit or department. Coming up with an effective hiring plan, determining the appropriate method for recruiting and selecting the best candidates, and consulting with key stakeholders are all important decisions that, if unprepared, could result in a stressful experience. The resources below are useful tools to use through recruiting, selecting, and on-boarding successful candidates. Before you do anything, it may be helpful to create a Student Hiring and Recruiting Plan.PDF to ensure you aren't missing anything important. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with The BC Employment Standards Act Fact Sheets.PDF. You can also check out the USRA Supervisor Guide to acquaint yourself with the critical aspects of being a supervisor.

During Interviews

(In Basket Interviews)- Designed to test a candidates ability to perform a task within a set of set requirements. In Basket Testing Tips.PDF

Competency Based Interview Questions

Competency Based Interview Questions.PDF

General Interview Questions.PDF

Sample Interview Rubric.PDF

After Interview

After you have completed your interviews, you will have to make your decision as to who you would like to extend an offer to and who you want to decline. It is best to extend an offer as soon as possible, as students are often applying to more than one role. Waiting to offer may mean you miss the opportunity to work with your star candidate! Sample Offer Letter.PDF

A lack of a thorough on-boarding experience and expectations has been noted as one of the main reasons employees are not engaged or productive in their workplace. Thoughtful preparation for your new employee, setting clear expectations at the beginning, and ongoing integration into the new workplace plays a key role in fostering a positive working relationship and setting the student staff up to be successful in the role. The templates are a great way to get you started.

Before the student begins the position

Orientation Checklist.PDF

Work Learn On-boarding Plan.PDF

Expectations Setting Worksheet.PDF

Getting to Know You Worksheet.PDF

Sharing some of the interesting facts you learn about the student employee with other full-time staff members is a small act that goes a long way in integrating the Work Learn student(s) to the larger team. New Work Learn Students Template.PDF

This template can be used for positions in which a new staff manual is included in the on-boarding process. New Staff Manual Template.PDF

Having a new student set learning objectives is an excellent way of engaging them right from day one, as well a way to provide structure in following up with a student throughout their position. Learning Objectives Worksheet.PDF

This is an agreement between the employer and the student, with the aim of outlining employment expectations of both parties, to ensure an overall successful experience for the student and the employer. Work Learn Program - Supervisor and Student Work Agreement.PDF

Performance management is an ongoing process between you and your employee that involves creating goals, assessing progress, and proving guidance and feedback along the way. The resources below can be used to guide those conversations with your student staff, evaluate their performance, and reflect on what they are learning in their roles.

The 5-15 Check in is one way of a student keeping you up to date with their work progress, challenges, and ideas. A 5-15 is meant to take the student no longer than 15 minutes to write and to take you no more than 5 minutes to read. These can be especially helpful if the student you supervise has different hours than you. 5_15 Check In

Bi weekly status report

Biweekly Status Report - Template

Work Plan (Long Term)

Work Plan Template

360 Performance Evaluation

If you have a concern about the safety or well-being of a student employee, we encourage you to submit an Early Alert: https://facultystaff.students.ubc.ca/systems-tools/early-alert

Performance Reviews

Performance reviews are a crucial way for students to learn and reflect on their positions. They do take time so it is a good idea to start early. We strongly encourage all Work Learn facilitators to conduct a mid-point performance review with each student they supervise.

Work Learn Program - Mid-Point Performance Evaluation (for lab setting)

Work Learn Program - Mid-Point Performance Evaluation (non-lab setting)

Work Learn Mid-point Self-reflection

Employee Recognition

Recognition is a way of showing your employees that you notice and value what they bring to the workplace. Student employees have a huge impact on the UBC workplace; bringing fresh ideas, high energy, and a willingness to learn. Taking some time to acknowledge a job well done is a great way to keep your staff engaged and motivated.

Tips for Student Recognition

Students have identified that one of the main reasons they choose to work Work Learn jobs is to gain professional experience that will serve them after graduation. So much of what impacts a student's ability to learn on the job is their connection to you, their supervisor. The following are a series of templates you can use to help guide professional development conversations with the students you supervise.

Goal-Setting

HARD Goals Template

S.M.A.R.T Goals Template

Professional Development Plan

Work Learn Professional Development Plan

Cross-training is an opportunity for students to work with colleagues of yours in other units.

Cross Training Plan

Strengths and Opportunities for Development

Considerations for Student Mentorship

Skills Self-Reflection(4)

The end of the Work Learn term calls for celebrating and recognizing your student staff, reflecting on what they have learned in their placement, and planning for new (or returning students). It's also a great time to solicit feedback on how the experience was for the student, and incorporate your own learning into your next cycle of student management. Below are some resources you can use as you prepare to have end-of-term conversations with your student, ensure they are off-boarded appropriately, and prepare for your new employees.

Work Learn Program - End-of-Term Reflection Questions.PDF

Skills Self-Reflection.PDF

Transition Report Checklist.PDF

Work Learn Offboarding Checklist.PDF