Work‑integrated learning (WIL) offers students vital opportunities to build professional skills and connect classroom learning to real‑world practice. For students with disabilities, these experiences can be especially meaningful when appropriate supports are in place. Faculty and staff play a key role in helping students access these opportunities equitably. The good news: you are not doing this work alone. Our campus offers dedicated expertise through Accessible Learning Services and Advising & Career Services to support students with disabilities and their workplace hosts throughout the WIL and employability journey.

Why Early Support Matters

Work environments vary widely—what works well in a classroom may not translate automatically to a professional setting. Students with disabilities may encounter new physical, sensory, or digital barriers; differences in communication or supervision styles; or productivity expectations that require flexibility or adaptation. When faculty and staff connect students early with the right supports, students are better positioned to succeed, employers receive clear and professional guidance, and placements are more likely to be positive and sustainable.

Accessible Learning Services: Workplace Accommodations Made Clear

Accommodation Advisors and Specialists are available to support learners with disabilities and self-advocacy skills. We work collaboratively with students to identify functional needs and appropriate accommodations for workplace environments. One of the most effective supports ALS provides is a formal workplace accommodation letter. This document:

• Clearly outlines approved accommodations based on the student’s documented needs
• Translates academic accommodations into workplace‑relevant language
• Helps employers understand how to support the student while maintaining role expectations

Examples of workplace accommodations may include alternative formats for training materials, adjusted communication methods or supervisor check‑ins, or ergonomic or environmental adjustments. Faculty and staff are encouraged to refer students to Accessible Learning Services early—ideally before a placement begins—to allow sufficient time for planning and coordination. Accessibility Advisors are also available to consult with faculty and staff about accessibility considerations in WIL programs.

Career Advising for Learners with Disabilities through Advising & Career Services

In addition to formal accommodations, students with disabilities benefit from career‑focused advising that takes individual strengths, interests, and access needs into account. Our Student Success Advisor prepares students for the workplace by using a strengths-based and self-advocacy approach to:

• Review resumes, cover letters, and applications with disability in mind
• Practice interviewing and workplace communication including discussing accommodation needs
• Develop strategies for self‑advocacy and problem‑solving on the job
• Completing the Disability Impact on Career and Employment (DICE) Questionnaire to support workplace preparation

This holistic approach helps students build confidence and navigate workplace expectations proactively — before challenges arise. Faculty and staff can help students proactively by:

• Normalizing accessibility in WIL conversations. Encourage all students to explore available supports early.
• Referring proactively. Connect students to Accessible Learning Services and Advising & Career Services as soon as WIL is discussed.
• Reaching out for consultation. Both Accessibility Advisors and the Student Success Advisor are available to support faculty and program staff.

By leveraging the expertise of Accessible Learning Services and Advising & Career Services, faculty and staff can help ensure that students with disabilities are supported, empowered, and able to thrive in their workplace learning experiences.

For referrals or consultations, connect with:

• Accessible Learning Services – accessible-learning@humber.ca
• Advising & Career Services' Student Success Advisor – elaine.belanger-porter@humber.ca 

Together, we can make work‑integrated learning accessible, inclusive, and impactful for all students.

The Centre for Creative Business Innovation (CCBI) and Humber Galleries 2026 Fellowship Applications Open Monday, January 19!

The CCBI and Humber Galleries summer Fellowships are comprised of interdisciplinary teams of students who develop a cultural project over a 16-week period. Under the supervision and mentorship of faculty, industry professionals, and staff, students work together exploring their individual artistic talents, developing a proposal, producing a concept or design, and finally presenting their finished project to the public.

Fellowships run from May to August of 2026 and all Humber Polytechnic students are elligible to apply. 

The following fellowships are accepting applications by the March 8 deadline. 

• Nuit Blanche Fellowship
• TinyTO Fellowship 
• Intercultural & Creative Music Fellowship 

For more information about these opportunities please visit: https://humber.ca/ccbi/fellowships.html

Full job descriptions will be available on Career Connect on Monday, January 19.

Ontario Colleges Student Experience Survey

Background

Humber is committed to continuous quality improvement and engaging students in this process. Beginning February 2, Humber will administer the online Ontario Colleges Student Experience Survey (OCSES). This survey measures student experiences related to teaching and learning quality, program related knowledge and skills, work integrated learning (if applicable), and student services and resources. The results of the survey will allow Humber to identify strengths and areas of improvement.

Administration

All students in full-time, funded programming who are in their second semester or above will receive a personalized link on Monday, February 2. The survey will remain open until Sunday, February 22 at midnight. Key messaging will be communicated to students by Humber to promote the survey and encourage completion. In order to achieve an optimal response to this survey, facilitators/instructors will be present in classes selected by the Faculties to explain the purpose of the survey to students, provide direction for survey completion and allot class time to complete the survey (approximately 10-15 minutes).

For questions about the survey, please contact Jean O’Donnell at Jean.o’donnell@humber.ca.

The Centre for Innovation in Health and Wellness (CIHW) is pleased to announce that our NSERC-funded research project on the 'Impact of precarious employment on student mental health and well-being' has successfully completed its first phase of data collection.

Thanks to the strong response from our student community at Humber, we've reached our participation goal with over 200 students across all three campuses taking part in this phase.

This level of participation speaks to the critical issue of precarious employment and the challenges that students are experiencing in navigating today's employment landscape. The participants' voices and experiences will be instrumental in understanding the real impact of job insecurity, irregular hours, and unstable work on student mental health and well-being — and most importantly, in driving meaningful change. A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible:

• Our outstanding Student Research Assistants, Arushi Gupta and Gaurav Wadhwa whose dedication and hard work on the ground made recruitment a success
• Project Principal Investigator Dr. Vanita Varma (CIHW), and Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Kathryn Mettler and Dr. Adam Kingsmith (both from the Faculty of Social and Community Services) for their vision and leadership
• And most importantly, to the over 200 Humber students who took time to share their experiences with us

The next phase of this project will include conducting focus groups, beginning this winter semester. Stay tuned for more updates! Together, we're changing the conversations on health and well-being through research that truly matters.