The Commerce Times

Business Careers program an asset to TRS students

It’s February, and university students everywhere are experiencing the familiar flurry of activities that come with the month; reading week anticipation, midterm anxiety and more midterm anxiety. But February also marks another unique phenomenon for students: internship application season.

Every February, thousands of university students apply for internships all across the province, hoping to land a coveted position. It’s no wonder why; internships provide crucial real-job experience to students who have little to no practice in the field. Internships can be tricky to find however, and many students overlook great opportunities simply because they don’t know where to search. Thankfully, Ryerson’s solution to this problem can be found in the Business Careers Program.

WHAT IT IS
Ryerson’s Business Careers program provides paid internships and graduate placements for Ryerson’s top students. The program was founded about nine years ago by Ryerson in collaboration with Professor Peter Wilson, who, after a seven-year hiatus, has resumed his position as program director. During his time as director, Wilson has garnered an impressive list of employers who work in conjunction with the program to provide placements for Ryerson students.

HOW IT WORKS
The business careers program connects students to some of the foremost leading businesses and firms in Toronto. Through a combination of classroom-style learning, engaging workshops and hands-on work experience, the program is designed to assist Ryerson’s best students.

Students currently in the business careers program must meet a number of academic, interpersonal and communication criteria. Peter Wilson believes that these criteria are instrumental in maintaining Ryerson’s ability to foster new employer partnerships. “New organizations are contacting us because of advice from their peers in other organizations that have hired Business Careers Program members.” Seasoned business career students also have a role in expanding the program. “Placed students that have advanced over the past several years to more responsible positions are recommending the program to others in their organizations” says Wilson.

BENEFITS
Peter Wilson’s efforts on maintaining the quality and integrity of his program has been met with impressive results. Since its inception, the Business Careers program has acquired over 200 employer partnerships, and placed more than 500 students in meaningful internship positions. “The benefits of the program to the members are not simply placements,” says Wilson, “but also the skills provided by the unique business expertise in the program available to students in their own search for experience, and to get their careers started in the right direction.”

Why should you consider the Business Careers program? Firstly, students joining program benefit from a vast number of opportunities that would not be easily available otherwise. Business Careers has managed to secure partnerships with many major companies such as Hydro One, IBM, Xerox, Holt Renfrew and BMW. They also have fostered close relationships with the big four chartered accounting firms: Deloitte and Touche, Ernst and Young, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and KPMG. These companies regularly hold recruitment events where Business Career students are invited to eat, drink and schmooze with Toronto’s finest employers.

Secondly, experience gained at a notable company early in your career provides a crucial advantage; one that is highly valued to prospective future employers.

HOW TO APPLY
1. Make sure that you qualify for the program
Students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA or higher on all Ryerson courses contributing to their BComm.
2. Ensure that you apply in the right time frame and by the specified deadline
3. Complete the student online application
4. Attend a mandatory Orientation workshop
5. Set up an informal interview with the director
Qualified students will be instructed on how to do this. During the interview, the director will review your cover letter and resume, assess your interpersonal and communication skills, discuss your career goals and objectives, and review the program’s policies and procedures.
6. Prepare an effective resume and cover letter
For more information on Business Careers, visit: http://www.ryerson.ca/businesscareers/