Gain Experience / Internships
A sampling of internship and recruitment programs specifically for persons with disabilities are listed below. Students with disabilities are highly encouraged to compete for these valuable career-building experiences. See our Tip Sheet on internships, and links to other on-campus opportunities contained in other parts of our website. There are many ways to build experience, in extracurricular activities, faith communities and outside the university through volunteering and paid work. Make an appointment to develop a plan for building valuable experience for your career.
Internship Courses through the Experiential Education Office
Ways to gain experience on and off-campus
Community Engaged Service Learning through the Experiential Education Office
The Research Opportunity Program
Other ways to get research experience – see our Tipsheet
Career Edge
Since 1996, Career Edge, a self-sustaining social enterprise, has provided leadership in connecting private, public and not-for-profit businesses with diverse, qualified talent. They offer access to meaningful, career-launching paid internships in a wide range of non-regulated fields including Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Technology, Engineering, Business Operations, Administration and more.
DiscoverAbility Network
DiscoverAbility Network is an online platform that matches job seekers with disabilities with employers looking for skilled candidates. The aim is for employers to outreach to this demographic and find, hire and retain talented candidates who happen to have a disability. They have a variety of types of opportunities including internships.
Lime Connect
Lime Connect is a global not-for-profit organization that's rebranding disability through achievement. They do that by attracting, preparing and connecting high-potential university students and alumni who happen to have disabilities for internships, The Lime Connect Fellowship Program and full-time careers with their corporate partners - the world's leading corporations. Lime Connect also offers scholarship and leadership building opportunities for students with disabilities.
Dolphin DMD
An IT consulting firm that utilizes technology to create a level playing field thereby becoming the first business in Canada to develop barrier-free solutions for persons with disabilities. They also have a mentoring program and have facilitated the hiring of people with disabilities with their corporate partners.
RBC
Pursue Your Potential at RBC is a program designed to give persons with disabilities a volunteer-based placement. Opportunities for joining the team in a paid format is possible and if that occurs, RBC has a “Disability Employee Resources Group-REACH” program that allows individuals with different disabilities to connect and network with each other while developing professionally.
TD Canada Trust
TD Canada Trust embraces diversity and hires people from a wide range of experiences, backgrounds and abilities. TD Canada Trust Diversity
BMO Internship (Partnered with Lime Connect Canada)
The BMO Financial Group Internship Program for Students with Disabilities is a program designed to attract talented students enrolled full-time in post-secondary education in Canada. Successful applicants will receive a scholarship, compete for a paid summer internship and ultimately land a job at graduation with BMO Financial Group. Comprehensive training, coaching and mentoring will all be provided to set you on the path for success.
Ontario Internship Program
Ontario Internship Program provides paid internships across a wide spectrum of fields (Communications, Economics, Health, and more). As a government and diversity employer, diverse candidates such as persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)
The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) provides students with learning opportunities through valuable, hands-on work experience. As a government and diversity employer, diverse candidates such as persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
