CEWIL Canada Partners with Leading Organizations to Advance WIL

Toronto, ON – July 16, 2025 – Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada is pleased to announce the signing of four strategic contracts with leading research and engagement firms to deliver critical projects aligned with the organization's national mandate to advance work-integrated learning (WIL), drive economic innovation, and support workforce readiness across Canada. 
Following a competitive request for proposals (RFP) process, CEWIL Canada has selected the following project partners: 
  • The Conference Board of Canada for a national economic impact study analyzing iHUB data to quantify the return on investment (ROI) of government-supported WIL initiatives. 
  • NVision Insight Group to lead a landmark project on decolonizing the WIL framework, with a focus on integrating Indigenous knowledge and land-based learning. 
  • The Talent Strategy Collective to conduct an environmental scan of industry resources, identifying key gaps and opportunities to support industry, especially SMEs, in engaging with WIL. 
  • Academica Group to explore industry perspectives on WIL, gathering sectoral insights to strengthen industry engagement and future policy direction. 
"These partnerships represent a pivotal step in CEWIL Canada's strategic vision to align work-integrated learning with Canada's economic, social, and cultural priorities," said Charlene Marion, Executive Director of CEWIL Canada. "From measuring ROI of WIL to Indigenizing our frameworks, these initiatives will equip us with the evidence, inclusivity, and industry insights necessary to continue to shape the future of WIL in Canada." 
Together, these projects will: 
  • Demonstrate the measurable economic impact of over 47,000 WIL experiences supported through iHUB; 
  • Reframe CEWIL Canada's WIL typology through an Indigenous lens and acknowledge land-based learning within national standards; 
  • Identify and address critical barriers to WIL participation for industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises; 
  • Build actionable knowledge to inform public policy, post-secondary practice, and industry engagement through WIL. 

The results of these studies will inform CEWIL Canada’s ongoing work to strengthen the WIL ecosystem, contribute to future funding models, and guide strategic investment from both public and private sectors. 

About CEWIL Canada:

 CEWIL Canada is the lead organization for work-integrated learning in Canada with over 160 organizations representing 1900 individuals. With a mission to build the capacity to develop future-ready students through quality WIL, CEWIL Canada plays a pivotal role in connecting education and industry, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills and experiences necessary for success.

For further information please contact our media contact: 

Lamia Rochdi

Bilingual Marketing & Communication Coordinator 

[email protected]

778.513.1429