Experience what it’s like to be an entrepreneur or work with industry
A common requirement for so many jobs today is experience, which is why including experiential learning in your education can give you a big advantage.
Experiential learning opportunities like entrepreneurship or industry projects allows you to gain practical, interactive experience related to your interests that can help you achieve your career goals.
“The courses were not directly related to my field of study, but I loved them so much, I wished I had done a double major in entrepreneurship,” says Rachel Morris, a bachelor of commerce grad who took two experiential learning courses as a UM student: New Venture Analysis (ENTR 4100) and Entrepreneurship/Small Business (ENTR 3060).
She was tasked with identifying a problem, a market segment and then finding a solution, while learning skills that helped them write a business plan. The students had the freedom to choose what they wanted to research according to their interests, which for Morris, was a medical aesthetic center.
For computer and electrical engineering students, part of the curriculum includes a capstone project (ECE 4600) where they create a physical prototype, giving them tangible experience to discuss in job interviews.
Shakiba Mir Ahmadi, a recent grad, has a passion for computer vision and experimenting with sensors and cameras which she incorporated into her project.
“As a result of the Covid pandemic many stores and facilities enforced occupancy limitations, which required head counting the number of incoming customers or occupants, specifically for bigger stores and malls,” says Ahmadi. “Our team was motivated to create an autonomous way of counting occupancy while having security options as well. This led us to create a security surveillance system modified with thermal and infrared camera technologies.
We learned how to properly plan our budget, find appropriate resources to create our project from scratch. Also, we got to practice our professional communicational skills through various presentations, letters, proposals, and logbook entries.”
Where can I find these experiences at UM?
Morris and Ahmadi participated in categories of experiential learning called Entrepreneurship and Industry Project. Entrepreneurship is taking part in the development of businesses and start-ups, as well as addressing real-world challenges through advancement. It requires navigating resource, space, mentorship, and funding needs to achieve your desired outcomes.
An industry project can be conducted individually or in teams. They explore new ideas and connect them with your degree-specific industry.
To find these experiential learning opportunities:
- Explore the Experience Catalogue.
- Browse available courses for your degree program in the Academic Calendar.
- Visit the Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship.
Looking for some ideas to get started?
Find online webinars, competitions, and the Startup Coach Program (which provides free one-on-one coaching), at The Stu Clark Centre for Entrepreneurship which are open to all students.
Check out introductory and advanced courses in entrepreneurship at the I.H. Asper School of Business or throughthe Faculty of Science (SCI 4000).
Consider specific degree programs like Commerce, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Data Science, and Health Studies which have capstone projects.
Entrepreneurship and Industry Project opportunities can look different from one department to another. Be sure to consult your degree program requirements and talk to your department about how these courses are delivered in your area of study.
To learn more about experiential learning and how it could impact your degree, visit the Experiential Learning Opportunities for Students page.