{"id":28356,"date":"2026-08-05T09:00:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T16:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/?p=28356"},"modified":"2026-07-30T10:13:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T17:13:10","slug":"are-you-experienced-an-inside-look-at-camosuns-co-ops-and-capstones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/2026\/08\/05\/are-you-experienced-an-inside-look-at-camosuns-co-ops-and-capstones\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you experienced? An inside look at Camosun\u2019s co-ops and capstones"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, you\u2019re thinking of doing a co-op, huh? Or maybe you have to, lest those pesky administrators keep your diploma all to themselves\u2014and you deserve to have it, you worked hard for that! But, sadly, hard work doesn\u2019t always translate to a six-figure salary and a nice benefits package. So, you and me, we\u2019ve got to think critically.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not unusual for college graduates to enter the workforce with little to show for it. I mean, sure, you got yourself a decent education, but that\u2019s not exactly a rare find these days. In fact, more than 60 percent of working-age Canadians hold a credential from a college or university. Now, I\u2019m sure I don\u2019t have to tell you that that ain\u2019t nothing. But don\u2019t start worrying just yet: I\u2019ve got good news for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Camosun College has the largest co-op program of any college in BC, meaning you have options. Using the career portal, which is available to all Camosun students, you can apply for job openings with companies like Seaspan, BC Ferries, the Fairmont Empress, and more. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think when students are choosing Camosun College, we\u2019re very applied and hands-on with our course content,\u201d says Camosun Business co-op internship coordinator Jennifer Phillips. \u201cAnd I think that, coupled with the opportunity to do that work experience, is a really nice feature, and I think that\u2019s what\u2019s made Camosun actually quite successful.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before you can apply for a co-op, there are three boxes that need to be checked. First, you must be a current Camosun student. Sounds easy enough, right? Second, you must complete at least 8 courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (C+) prior to the start of your co-op. And, lastly, you must complete the Career Development Workplace Prep Skills course, otherwise known as CDEV WPS.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But I don\u2019t want you to fret if none of this sounds up your alley, as there are plenty of other ways to gain work experience while studying here at Camosun. Some students do internships, others do practicums, and still others take on capstone projects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cCo-operative education is a three-way partnership between a student, an employer, and the college,\u201d explains Phillips. \u201cAnd at Camosun College, we have quite a few programs. Most co-ops are optional, but there are a few that are mandatory. For most programs, they\u2019re paid a wage; they usually work full-time, and in a position that would be related to their programs.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This model allows students to gain industry experience one semester at a time, something that Yennefer Wilde, a Hospitality Management student who recently completed her first co-op with Orca Spirit Adventures, found invaluable, transferring her skills into something new and exciting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI worked for many, many years\u2014like, a couple of decades\u2014in social programs, managing homeless shelters and disenfranchised communities,\u201d says Wilde. \u201cI worked in senior living facilities for a while; I worked with Indigenous communities managing their housing portfolio for a bit. And, well, it broke my heart. That\u2019s kind of the only way I can frame it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This story originally appeared in our August 5, 2026 issue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventually, that emotional strain led to Wilde shifting her career and setting her sights on something a little more sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really burnt out from the work I\u2019d been doing before,\u201d says Wilde. \u201cThe pandemic knocked me right off my feet. So I decided that transitioning into the private sector would be a move that I could still use some of my old transferable skills in, but it\u2019s way happier. People on holidays, people getting married. I don\u2019t know. It just seemed so much more cheerful. And I figured the second half of my career, I just needed a little more joy. So I got into the Hospitality Management program.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, re-entering the workforce after such a long period away was intimidating, making the success of her work term all the more vital. Now, fortunately for her, she was able to settle into a position working under a recent Camosun graduate, whose familiar perspective offered some much-needed comfort and guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was nervous leaving my old position,\u201d says Wilde. \u201cI left my old position with some pretty significant PTSD, and I was a homebody for a couple of years trying to recover from the overwhelm of navigating a lot of crises. And so going back out into the work world, it ended up being awesome and amazing and so well supported.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Wilde intends to enter the hotel industry, Orca Spirit Adventures provided her with a uniquely positive environment where she could get reacquainted with her professional life, solidify her career goals, and rebuild her confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was first looking for co-ops, I was really focused on what I should be doing,\u201d says Wilde. \u201cAnd then I ended up going with Orca Spirit. I mean, I want to get into working in accommodations and working in the hotel industry, and so working with Orca Spirit didn\u2019t necessarily apply to my goal ultimately. But it really fed this like personal, historical thing\u2026 and it was something that brought me a little bit of joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through this experience, Wilde was able to brush up on her old skills while also learning new ones. And by facing the public again, she proved herself capable of pursuing the future that she had envisioned for herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a pretty solid idea of where I want to go,\u201d she says. \u201cI think there was a moment where I was like, \u2018this is so great. I just want to work here forever.\u2019 And I think that because of the timing, it was good. It was a good feeling because I felt like I had kind of overcome this. I was so nervous about going back to work; I was so nervous that I would get triggered by customer complaints or something going on. And I thought I wouldn\u2019t have the capacity to deal with it, but I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

While Wilde\u2019s co-op placement served as a stepping stone for both personal and professional re-entry, other students have used Camosun\u2019s co-op program as a launchpad to further their academic careers. For Leonardo Castro, a degree holder from Ecuador, completing a work term at the BC Cancer Agency could prove to be crucial in securing a spot in grad school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adapting to the language demands of a Canadian research lab is no small task. Not only that, but Castro has managed to balance conversational fluency with more precise, job-related technical vocabulary as well. During his work term with the BC Cancer Agency, he\u2019s been able to hone these skills even further, setting himself up for his studies at the University of Victoria.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI always had a goal in mind to go to grad school,\u201d says Castro. \u201cI want to study biochemistry with a cancer research specialization. It\u2019s been a dream my whole life. I\u2019ve wanted to do that since childhood. Someday, I want to develop the cure for cancer, but with time, you realize that there is a whole world right there, and even a small contribution can be really meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

At BC Cancer, that dream has materialized, although he did have to find the opportunity entirely on his own. This isn\u2019t uncommon, but it does highlight a common criticism of Camosun\u2019s co-op program: there just aren\u2019t enough pre-approved employers for students to work with. This deficit places an unnecessary burden on students, many of whom are already juggling heavy course loads. However, for Castro, this added effort has yielded a deeply supportive professional environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWorking [at BC Cancer] is not just working. We have these meetings where all of us, from different departments, gather and present different types of information. So every day you learn something new. And all the people, they are willing to support you. They are willing to teach you what you don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Castro\u2019s prior education has undoubtedly helped him navigate his own path, he also understands that not every student shares that same advantage; he says that Camosun should help students explore their options.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething that I [wish Camosun would] improve on is taking the opportunity to encourage students to find their real passion in a specific field,\u201d he says. \u201cBecause, at least, when I came from my Applied Chemistry and Biology program, it\u2019s like, what is that? What can you work at? I think if there is any chance for instructors or advisors to provide a student with a few options for what they can do in the future, it would be easier for students to have a clear focus.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Last summer, Camosun took on its biggest capstone project to date, wherein five students worked together to produce an MRI simulator for Victoria General Hospital (VGH) that would allow children to familiarize themselves with the small space and loud noises and hopefully make the experience a little bit less uncomfortable for them. Bringing this idea to life, however, was anything but simple.<\/p>\n

\u201c[We felt] completely unprepared,\u201d says team member Jeremy Turmel. \u201cWhen we first started, we knew the project, so it\u2019s not like we came in and were like, \u2018Oh, we\u2019re doing this out of nowhere.\u2019 We knew the project; we signed up for the project. But we didn\u2019t really expect it to be as big as it was. I think we were all shocked at how many hours we were going to have to put in, and what it was actually going to take to accomplish it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turmel says that for these students, the average workday lasted about 10 to 12 hours, six days a week.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very challenging for us, definitely, because we were skipping class a lot,\u201d explains Turmel. \u201cAnd we were definitely given a pity pass, I would say. We had some compassion from instructors who weren\u2019t even involved because they knew the situation and the gravity of our project.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite support from surrounding faculty, their busy schedules continued to prove unsustainable, says Turmel, taking a personal toll on the students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[The balance] was non-existent,\u201d says Turmel. \u201cWe just did it because it felt like the right thing to do. Like, we have to show up to class; we need those credits to pass. But it almost felt like the class was a break from the project because we were so exhausted. We would go to class just to sit there and do nothing and not learn anything.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Turmel says a big reason for that imbalance was that the mentor who was working with these students was also mentoring every other capstone project in the Mechanical Engineering department. (Jeffrey Stephen, the mentor for the project, was unavailable for comment at press time.)<\/p>\n

\u201cCamosun College should have seen that something was wrong,\u201d says Turmel. \u201cI don\u2019t know about the capstones for this year or if they\u2019re doing things differently now, but based on our experience, I don\u2019t know how they could have allowed [our mentor] to put that much on himself. Because not only is it a problem for him to advocate for that, but then for the school to allow it to happen, that\u2019s not okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Camosun Mechanical Engineering chair Ross Lyle says that the project \u201cgrew to very high expectations not too long after the students started.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, it was super impressive what the students and Jeff produced in the end, but it was not a simple project,\u201d says Lyle. \u201cThis was a project of complexity that I hope we never experience again because it was just way over the top. It was over the top in terms of what the students got involved in, and it took a lot of effort on Jeff\u2019s part after the students had finished the capstone term to finish up the project a lot on his own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turmel says that as stress began to rise, the pressure that was placed on their mentor ultimately fell on the students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think as timelines tightened, it became really evident that that was not a workload that I think anybody could\u2019ve handled,\u201d says Turmel.<\/p>\n

Further constricting the project\u2019s timeline were various administrative delays that stalled the budget\u2014$26,000 donated from the Child\u2019s Play Charity to VGH\u2014from being released.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the projects had their funding immediately when they started, but we had to shuffle around with the funds because they didn\u2019t know how they were going to give us the funds,\u201d says Turmel. \u201cSo, it just came in a bit too late; like a month and a half, two months. And they had to do it through these prepaid Visa cards, and we had to go through them before we could purchase anything. We had to create accounts on sites so they could buy things for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps ironically, despite the late funding and chaotic planning, this group had no other option but to succeed, says Turmel.<\/p>\n

\u201c[VGH] knew beforehand that [the project] may or may not be complete; it may or may not work,\u201d says Turmel. \u201cBut then, throughout the project, it became \u2018It has to work.\u2019 Every other project, [Camosun] didn\u2019t care. If it works, it works. If it doesn\u2019t, it doesn\u2019t. Who cares? But in our project, it was like, you have no other choice but for this to work and for it to be done at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professional pressure aside, Turmel feels that there were also a number of safety concerns that the college failed to address. He says that before the project began, the school failed to provide a designated workspace or proper tools, forcing the students, as well as their mentor, to rely on their own personal belongings to complete the project. Additionally, he says the college failed to provide students with personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout this project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey didn\u2019t have proper safety measures for us. No PPE was provided. And if you\u2019re in a place of education, that\u2019s their responsibility,\u201d says Turmel. \u201cIf you\u2019re working on a job site, that\u2019s different. You bring your own stuff, and that\u2019s your responsibility. But this is a place of education and learning. They need to provide that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know in the past, Jeff has been very focused on having students be properly protected,\u201d says Lyle. \u201cI can\u2019t say that I know what happened in terms of students\u2019 experiences. I would assume that they would have all been properly masked up and wearing glasses, and whatever else was required.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the end, this complicated experience did yield positive results. Not only did this group build lasting friendships and competitive resumes, but they also won the award for most innovative capstone project that year. And Turmel says that working with Island Health was a good experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were super accommodating to us, and super respectful and understanding, which was really important for the success of this project,\u201d he says. \u201cSo I have to give them a lot of credit for that.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think the students certainly can be very proud of what they accomplished in terms of the MRI project,\u201d says Lyle. \u201cBut granted, it was a challenging experience\u2026 I mean, Jeff himself, he felt that the project was portrayed as one thing and then turned into something to be much, much larger than expected.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that the stakes of this project were highly unusual compared to other capstones, as most tend to operate on a much smaller scale. But there\u2019s one more detail I forgot to mention: capstones, even at this level, do not pay, while the aforementioned co-ops offer you valuable career experience with a guaranteed paycheck to boot.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The MRI capstone, even though it was an anomaly, sheds a light on the reality of Camosun\u2019s applied education program: simply put, it\u2019s a double-edged sword. Because yes, it can be a deeply valuable experience both personally and professionally. But when an institution fails to provide adequate direction or oversight for its students, those students ultimately suffer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In order for applied education to work, Camosun must be willing to protect, support, and guide its students. And, admittedly, they often do a pretty good job of it\u2014I\u2019ve had some amazing experiences with academic advisors and instructors here. But when negligence rears its head, even just for a moment, it\u2019s important to reevaluate things.<\/p>\n

For now, students have finished up their capstone projects for this year and they\u2019ll be on display from 10 am to 2 pm on Friday, August 14 at the CETI building at the Interurban campus.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The MRI project] was an exception in term of what a typical capstone project is,\u201d says Lyle. \u201cStudents are doing capstones right now, this term, and most of the capstones would fit on a tabletop.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So, you\u2019re thinking of doing a co-op, huh? Or maybe you have to, lest those pesky administrators keep your diploma all to themselves\u2014and you deserve to have it, you worked hard for that! But, sadly, hard work doesn\u2019t always translate to a six-figure salary and a nice benefits package. So, you and me, we\u2019ve got […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28358,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[357,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-august-5-2026","category-features"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t