take action

The goal of PDEng is to further enhance UW’s co-op students. As with any initiative based around a public relations campaign, the most damaging thing you can do is tell the truth to those that matter.

What this means depends on who you are.

Employers

If you’ve previously employed—or are thinking of employing—co-op students from Waterloo, we can definitely use your help.

Please call your rep from CECS to let them know that you’re not interested in the Professional Development programme, and would prefer not to hire co-op students affected by it. Alternatively, these other offices may be interested in hearing your concerns:

Students on Co-op

You are uniquely positioned to help break through the spin regarding PDEng. Please feel free to discuss PDEng assignments and mentor behaviour with your employer.

It’s particularly effective to refer your employer to the official site, and then show them the actual assignments that are helping you develop that diverse set of polished professional skills.

Other Students

Please contact the student society respresenting your faculty, and also Jonah Levine, the current VP Education with the UW Federation of Students:

Hearing from you ensures that your representatives make this issue a priority. Students can also help by spreading awareness of this issue.

Alumni

We definitely appreciate any alumni support. You guys got through just fine without PDEng, and now you get donation requests every year. These donations are valuable to the school, and so is your voice. Please voice any concerns to President Johnston, as well as Jason Coolman, the director of Alumni Affairs:

If you are an alumnus who has a personal or professional connection to someone sitting on the UW Senate, we’d really appreciate if you could let them know about this.

Prospective Students

If you’re concerned about the effect of PDEng on your co-op experience, you needn’t worry. Despite the damage and wastefulness of the programme, Waterloo’s co-op is still world-class. Nonetheless, the admissions office would be interested to know if PDEng has affected your decision to come to our school:

Thanks

Hearing your voice will help us get action in cleaning up PDEng.

Every bit helps.