Where There’s a WIL, There’s a Way

Ontario’s work-integrated learning (WIL) system remains one of the province’s most promising, yet underleveraged, tools for helping employers address labour shortages, boost innovation and productivity, and build more responsive talent pipelines. WIL connects classroom learning to real-world work and has demonstrated helping students build job-ready skills while giving employers access to emerging talent in high-demand sectors.                     

In March 2026, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Development Policy Council convened members to examine Ontario’s WIL ecosystem, identify key barriers to participation, and explore practical strategies to expand inclusive access. The message was clear: WIL works well but scaling it will require making it easier for employers – particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – to navigate, participate in, and sustain. 

Unleashing WIL’s full potential  

WIL is a critical employment pathway for learners and a strategic workforce resource, representing an underutilized talent pipeline for employers. Yet, despite its value, participation remains limited and concentrated in certain sectors and placement models. For instance, national co-op data show enrollments are concentrated in architecture, engineering and related trades (39.7 per cent), mathematics and computer science (19.1 per cent), and business and public administration (18.2 per cent). Many WIL opportunities are tied to mandatory program requirements, rather than being embedded in the broader cross-sector workforce system.  

For employers, especially SMEs, the barrier isn’t a lack of interest – it’s capacity. Many businesses lack the time, financial resources, training, and operational flexibility to participate meaningfully. They’re often unsure where to start, whether they qualify, or what the returns on investment will be.  

Successful WIL participation depends on an employer’s ability to onboard, supervise, and support learners. Yet, Ontario’s current ecosystem remains fragmented – there is no clear front door, processes differ across programs and institutions, and administrative requirements are complex and time-consuming. The result is a system that invites participation but effectively offloads the burden onto businesses.  

Scaling where employers need it most 

Scaling matters because WIL can deliver the greatest workforce impact where labour demand is immediate. Key Ontario sectors such as skilled trades and healthcare already demonstrate how structured work-based learning models can support workforce entry at scale. The same opportunity exists across energy, infrastructure, mining, engineering, defence, and technology, sectors where stronger alignment between learning and work could close labour gaps and generate real economic value. However, research indicates many employers in these sectors still face financial and administrative barriers to fully leveraging such opportunities. 

Ontario already has evidence of what works. Tools such as the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) and Ontario’s Co-operative Education Tax Credit reduce the cost of paid placements and show that employer uptake increases when support is practical and aligned with business realities. That said, incentives alone are not enough. For SMEs in particular, stronger financial support, simpler processes, clearer matching and more coordinated delivery can make the difference between one-off participation and long-term engagement with WIL. 

Equity gaps strain participation  

Systemic barriers, like those mentioned above, also shape who gets access to WIL opportunities. When placements are unpaid, participation narrows to learners who can afford to take them, excluding many from equity-deserving groups and limiting access for those without strong networks or financial flexibility. Limited wraparound supports, including transportation, childcare, and housing, further restrict access, particularly where employers have limited flexibility or where local opportunities are already scarce. Access also remains uneven across rural, northern, and remote communities, where culturally safe and inclusive placements may be harder to access. 

Importantly, these equity gaps are not separate from the employer participation challenge—in fact, they stem directly from it. When the system is difficult for employers to participate, fewer placements are created, and the opportunities that do exist are less likely to be paid, flexible, or broadly accessible. Expanding employer participation is therefore not only a workforce strategy, it is also one of the most practical ways to expand access and strengthen inclusion across the WIL ecosystem. 

Bold moves for better WIL 

If Ontario wants to position WIL as core workforce infrastructure, employers must have a meaningful seat at the table. They should be treated as long-term partners in shaping the system—not as end-users expected to navigate a fragmented model. Today, WIL programs often operate in silos across post-secondary institutions, sectors, and ministries, creating inconsistent expectations and avoidable friction for employers. The goal is simple: make WIL easier for businesses to access, easier to participate, and easier to sustain. 

To achieve this, the Workforce Development Policy Council identified five priority actions to strengthen Ontario’s WIL ecosystem: 

• Co-design WIL with employers: Establish formal mechanisms to engage employers in the design of publicly funded WIL programs, incentives and funding models—ensuring they reflect operational realities, sector needs, and pathways to scale. 

• Adopt a “Match, Pay and Report” approach: Tie access to publicly supported WIL programs, incentives, and procurement to a structured model that connects employers with qualified learners, requires paid placements, and sets clear expectations for transparent outcomes reporting. 

• Embed outcomes reporting into WIL system design: Integrate robust WIL outcomes to postsecondary funding agreements, procurement frameworks, and program evaluation, led by the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security and aligned with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development for non-post-secondary WIL, to improve accountability and consistency into results. 

• Modernize and expand employer incentives: Update the Co-operative Education Tax Credit and other related employer supports to cover a broader range of paid WIL models beyond traditional co-ops, with targeted support for priority sectors and SMEs. 

• Create clearer employer access points: Work with post-secondary institutions and service delivery partners to establish clear entry points for employers, supported by ready-to-use placement agreements, onboarding materials, and supervision guides.

Ontario already has the core ingredients: employers looking for talent, institutions ready to support learning, and students eager to gain real-world experience.  

The challenge is not a lack of interest, but how effectively these pieces are connected. Building a system that works seamlessly for employers—making participation simpler, more predictable, and more sustainable—will be critical if we are to meaningfully address labour shortages and strengthen Ontario’s economic competitiveness. 

Learn more about the OCC’s Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) 

Is your organization hiring a post-secondary student on a work-integrated learning program? 

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) can help with wage subsidies of up to 50% of wages to a maximum of $5,000 per eligible student through the Talent Opportunities Program (TOP). Applications for the Summer 2026 Term (May 1 to August 31). 

Funding for this program is limited and spots fill up quickly, so we encourage you to apply soon. Click the here for more information on how to apply.