Assiniboine strikes partnership with Mitacs

Financial supports available for students to partner on applied research internships

Assiniboine Community College and Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada, have signed a funding agreement under the Accelerate internship program. The program is a funding framework that gives students valuable applied research experience through internships with partner organizations in the community.

Each approved research project under the Mitacs program brings together an Assiniboine student, supervising faculty member, and a partner organization from the community. Each four-month internship is eligible for up to $15,000 in funding for the student.

“This approach offers students the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge through applied, non-academic environments,” said Dr. Deanna Rexe, Vice-President Academic at Assiniboine.

“It’s also a chance to expand their professional networks and receive mentorship from their supervising instructor and those at the partner organization.”

Students spend at least half of their time through the duration of the research project working directly with staff from the partnering organization. For employers, the Mitacs internship program provides an opportunity to invest in the college’s strategic goal of building capacity to strengthen economic development in the region.

“We continue to see strong employment outcomes for our graduates following graduation,” said Rexe. “Applied research partnerships with employers through Mitacs builds an even greater capacity for work-integrated learning in industry environments.”

Assiniboine’s most recent graduate satisfaction and employment survey showed that 93 per cent of graduates had jobs within nine months of graduation.

“Mitacs is delighted to partner with Assiniboine Community College to provide valuable work-integrated learning experiences for students,” says Alejandro Adem, Chief Executive Officer and Scientific Director, Mitacs. “By connecting students with partner organizations for research, our internship program provides a unique opportunity for advancement for Assiniboine students and the local economy.”

For additional details on Mitacs’ Accelerate internship program, visit mitacs.ca.