Every year, a growing number of Queen’s students are temporarily changing their academic focus from classrooms, labs, and campus life, to the workplace. They are participating in a transformational paid experience that is helping them further develop their skills and learning in preparation for meaningful careers beyond graduation.

Hundreds of undergraduates across a wide range of programs and disciplines are participating in the university’s flagship work-integrated learning initiative, the Queen’s Undergraduate Internship Program (QUIP).  

QUIP is currently a 12-16 month program that has almost doubled in size over the past five years. QUIP internships, which are typically taken after second or third year, carry academic credit, giving students sustained professional responsibility directly relevant to their field of study. Over 650 students are on internship in 2026-27.

Students who participate in work-integrated learning perform better academically, report higher satisfaction with their academic programs, and experience improved employment outcomes following graduation.  

Wesley Hoo has returned to studies this fall to complete his Psychology degree in the Faculty of Arts and Science after spending 16-months working as Program and Projects Officer at Cherish Integrated Service in Markham, ON. He says his QUIP experience helped him gain a clearer understanding of what he wants from his education and career.

“My work experience allowed me to choose courses that connected directly to what I had observed and experienced in the workplace, giving me an opportunity to apply an academic lens to my practical learning,” Hoo says. “Beyond my academic research, QUIP also provided me with valuable hands-on experience that has helped me better understand different career paths and identify the areas I may want to pursue in the future.”

Asher Chan completed his 16-month internship on campus as Sustainability Intern in Queen’s Facilities, one of four Queen’s student-interns integrated into the Facilities team last year. Chan is in Geological Engineering in Smith Engineering, and says he would definitely recommend QUIP to other students.  

“Throughout my internship I was able to work with different people, take on responsibilities independently, and see how important communication and attention to detail is in the workplace,” he says. “As I gained confidence in my internship, I was able to take charge of my own projects, from stakeholder engagement and developing business cases to securing funding and eventually doing fieldwork around campus.”

Queen's is planning to expand the number of year-long internships and is exploring summer internship options.

“Employers have very positive feedback about Queen’s interns, highlighting their problem solving, communication skills, and teamwork,” says Tara Poole, Associate Director, Work-Integrated Learning, Career Services and Experiential Learning in Student Affairs. “More and more organizations across a broad range of industries are hiring QUIP interns.”  

Learn more about QUIP on the Career Services website.