Page 24 - EUREKA Winter 2017

Butler likens the experience a They will help ensure the employability
computer science student will have and future success of students through
at Shopify to a physics student doing experiential learning and innovative
their degree while working at CERN, teaching. They will help meet a societal
the European Organization for Nuclear need — in this case, a shortage of
Research. “Carleton takes pride in its more than 200,000 information and
efforts to find experiential learning communication technology workers
opportunities for our students,” he that is forecasted in Canada by 2020.
of Computer Science, met with says. “A company like Shopify isn’t Moreover, the Shopify internships
Lemieux and Shopify’s manager of just a business — it’s a place where will raise Carleton’s profile as a go-
external education programs, Gail innovation happens.” to institution for computer science
Carmichael, who has a bachelor’s Not only will students develop an students.
degree and a master’s in Computer
Science from Carleton and is three-
quarters of the way through her PhD. “The care that has been put into developing
Everybody agreed that an internship this relationship will result in a very exciting
could work, and staff at the university
and company have spent the last few four years for every student.”
months ironing out the logistics and
details. integrated set of skills, they will also “One of the motivations is to
At Shopify, mentors will take on the bring what they’re learning back to attract more top-quality students
role that professors and instructors the university. This experience will give from across Canada and the United
have at the university. Members of students a head-start on their careers, States to Carleton,” says Howe. “This
Carmichael’s eight-person external or it could spark entrepreneurial ideas is an elite program. Students will
education team understand what — or propel students on to graduate get the fundamentals and principles
“competencies” are required as part of school. “Experiential opportunities from Carleton and apply these ideas
Carleton’s computer science degree. create those ‘aha’ moments,” says at Shopify. And because they’ll be
Students will spend about half their
time at Shopify learning material for
some core computer science courses
and earning credit for practicums.
Advanced courses and electives will be
taken traditionally on campus. Carleton
will be in charge of the program’s
curriculum and student evaluation
— two of the measures that helped
assure the university’s Senate that the
internship is a good fit.
The School of Computer Science
has appointed a faculty liaison who
will meet bi-weekly with students,
and customized learning outcomes
will be established for each student
in each internship course as a result
of discussions between the student,
the liaison and Shopify’s program co-
ordinator. Students also have access to
all the standard academic and student
services at Carleton.
“Shopify and Carleton worked
closely together to ensure that
students would have a truly superior
Student Natalia Kingsbury sees this program as a big step ahead.
educational experience,” says John
Shepherd, Carleton’s Vice-Provost and Butler. “They may see things that spark at Shopify year-round, they can get
associate Vice-President (Academic). really creative ideas. That’s the power deeply involved in long-term projects.
“The care that has been put into of experiential learning.” Shopify is not just a successful
developing this relationship will result software development company; they
in a very exciting four years of study, The new Shopify internships address have elite developers, and compete
learning and practice for every student the goals of Carleton’s Strategic with Facebook and Google for staff.”
in this program.” Integrated Plan in a number of ways. Helping to develop and keep talent

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