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Practicum information for hosts

Why a UFV practicum student?

UFV students attend practicum to apply the hands-on skills they’ve studied in their program. Ready to work, they bring a blend of theoretical understanding and practical skills as well as fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a willingness to learn.

Benefits of hosting a practicum student

Many practicum hosts find the mentorship of future professionals to be a fulfilling part of their work, and enjoy passing along their knowledge and skills to those entering their profession. By choosing to host a practicum student, you’re not only helping a student complete their educational journey and boosting your business’ productivity—you’re also shaping the future of your field, and you might just meet your next great hire! 

  • Boost productivity: Gain an extra set of hands to support your business operations.
  • Community engagement: Strengthen your organization’s connection to the UFV community  and contribute to the future development of your industry.
  • Fresh perspectives: Receive new and innovative ideas from students eager to learn and contribute to the workforce.
  • Mentorship fulfillment: Experience the rewarding aspect of mentoring and guiding future professionals. Enhance your own leadership and teaching skills by guiding students.
  • Talent pipeline: Identify potential future employees who are already familiar with your business and industry.

Practicum programs 

For more information on practicums, select a program from the list below.

Practicum length

The Activity Assistant program has two practicums: 

  1. A 30-hour observational practicum midway through the program
  2. A 90-hour hands-on practicum at the end of the program

These practicums will be located at the same site.

Practicum dates

  1. February (30-hour observational practicum)
  2. May to June (90-hour hands-on practicum)

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Recreational activity planning, and activity implementation such as leading art activities, exercise classes, and games

Common practicum sites

Long-term care homes, assisted living settings, adult day care programs, client homes, mental health homes, residential group homes.

Activity Assistant program page

Practicum length

80 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

January

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Scheduling appointments, patient reception, managing medical records, processing and filing insurance claims, medical office administration, and medical inventory management

Common practicum sites

Clinics, hospitals, health agencies, private practices.

Medical Office Assistant program page

Practicum length

150 hours (4 weeks)

Practicum dates

May or June

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

  • Patient admissions and discharge, medical records management, medical scheduling, clerical support, and liaison work 

Common practicum sites

Hospitals, health care facilities.

Nursing Unit Clerk program page

Practicum length

80 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

The Public Relations practicum is offered once a year in the spring. Upcoming practicum dates will be available on the website by the end of November.

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Brand recognition, grant and proposal writing, graphic design, presentations, social media management, media monitoring, content creation, conducting market research, and building media kits and press releases

Common practicum sites

Marketing agencies, or offices in any sector that require public relations support.

Public Relations program page

Practicum length

70-80 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

The Records Management practicum is offered once a year in the spring. Upcoming practicum dates will be available on the website by the end of November.

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

File clean-up, data entry, designing and implementing records management schedules, scanning and digitizing files, archival management, and inventory management.

Common practicum sites

Law firms, doctor’s offices, government agencies, university departments, school districts, or other administrative settings.

Records Management program page

Practicum length

75 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

January

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

  • Appointment scheduling, patient reception, dental records management, billing and insurance, office coordination, document preparation, and inventory management

Common practicum sites

Dental offices, dental supply companies, insurance companies, dental labs.

Dental Office Receptionist program page

Practicum length

70-80 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

July

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Legal document preparation, file management, court filings, legal research, trial preparation, wills and estates, and corporate law support

Common practicum sites

Law offices, government offices, notaries, insurance offices, real estate offices.

Legal Administrative Assistant program page

Practicum length

120 hours (3 weeks)

Practicum dates

March to April

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Appointment scheduling, animal care, client education, office administration, clinical support, and patient preparation

Common practicum sites

Veterinary offices, emergency veterinary clinics, animal care facilities, animal shelters

Veterinary Administrative Assistant program page

Practicum length

70-80 hours (2 weeks)

Practicum dates

The Bookkeeping for Small Business practicum is offered twice a year in the spring and fall. View the Bookkeeping course page for upcoming practicum dates and deadlines. 

Tasks that practicum students can assist with:

Expense tracking, income recording, cash flow management, payroll processing, taxation, and utilizing bookkeeping software for data entry and financial management

Common practicum sites

Accounting firms, small businesses, or any administrative setting that requires financial management.

Bookkeeping course page

 

Responsibilities of a practicum host: A step-by-step guide

1

Preparing for the practicum (2-6 weeks before start date)

  • Review the host practicum guidelines provided by UFV.
  • Review the practicum checklist provided by the Practicum Coordinator.
  • Identify a suitable supervisor for the student.
  • Prepare the workspace and any necessary resources for the student.
2

Welcoming the student (first day of practicum)

  • Conduct an orientation session to introduce the student to the workplace.
  • Provide an overview of the organization's mission, values, and culture.
  • Review the student's learning objectives and discuss how they will be achieved.
3

Providing guidance and support (throughout practicum)

  • Assign tasks and projects that align with the student's learning objectives.
  • Provide regular feedback on the student's performance and progress.
  • Encourage the student to ask questions and seek clarification when needed.
4

Mid-point check-in (midway through practicum)

  • Answer the mid-point check-in sent from UFV via SurveyMonkey to discuss the student's progress.
  • Provide constructive feedback and guidance for the remainder of the practicum.
5

Final evaluation (end of practicum)

  • Conduct a final evaluation of the student's performance via the SurveyMonkey form sent from UFV.
  • Provide feedback on the student's strengths, areas for improvement, and overall performance.
  • Discuss the student's future career goals and offer advice and guidance.
6

Wrapping up the practicum (end of practicum)

  • Thank the student for their contributions and dedication.
  • Offer to serve as a reference for the student's future endeavors, if appropriate.
  • Reach out to cepracticum@ufv.ca if you have any further questions or concerns.

 

The practicum process for hosts

 

Sign up

Use the form below to express interesting in hosting a UFV student at your workplace.

 

Get set up as a practicum host

UFV will contact you to discuss the details of your practicum site, and you'll receive a practicum partner agreement to sign.

 

Practicum starts

Your practicum student arrives! Provide them with a list of tasks and help them complete their educational journey.

 

Evaluate your student

Your will be asked to evaluate your practicum student's performance at the midway point and again after their practicum is complete.

 

Upgrade your skills & achieve your goals

Upgrading and University Preparation (UUP) programs and courses can help you upgrade your academic and workplace skills. Tuition is free for domestic students.

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