Training and Research that fuels Northern Innovation
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How Confederation College Students Are Meeting Industry Challenges Head-On
What if your college education included more than lectures, assignments, and exams? What if you could work on industry projects, earn a paycheck, collaborate with professionals, and help create solutions that make a difference in your community—all before graduation?
At Confederation College, that's exactly what you get.
Through the College's Applied Research and Innovation department, students are gaining essential hands-on experience by working directly with businesses, non-profits, healthcare organizations, and industry partners across Northwestern Ontario.
“We connect with industry and community partners,” says Dr. Tim Larocque, Director of Applied Research and Innovation. “Students work on real-world projects that generate a wide range of economic, social, and environmental benefits, while receiving mentorship from faculty researchers.”
One recent project brought together students from two different programs to solve a pressing challenge facing healthcare professionals.
Working alongside Dilico Anishinabek Family Care and faculty mentors, Confederation College students have developed a web-based tool that helps pharmacy professionals quickly navigate medical supply coverage. The project began when a pharmacist identified a problem: finding accurate coverage information which often required searching through lengthy government documents and complex approval processes.
“We saw an opportunity to streamline that,” says Larocque.
The result is a searchable online platform that helps users instantly access product information, eligibility requirements, approval forms, and coverage details. The tool is expected to help pharmacy professionals serve clients more efficiently while reducing delays in accessing needed medical supplies.
For students, however, the benefits extend far beyond the final product.
From Hands-On to Hired-On
Unlike traditional classroom assignments, Applied Research and Innovation projects are paid positions that offer students the opportunity to work alongside faculty researchers and industry experts on challenges that have meaningful community and industry impact.
From healthcare, software development, and advanced manufacturing, to product prototyping, and health research, Confederation College's applied research opportunities span a wide range of disciplines. But students don't just gain technical knowledge, they also develop critical workplace ‘soft skills’ such as professional communication, teamwork, project management, problem-solving, and collaboration with clients.
“Our students are working on real needs and real opportunities. Everything we create is driven by the industry and community partner,” Larocque explains. “It's based entirely on their needs and everything that we create is 100 percent owned by them – intellectual property, commercialization, capabilities, it all belongs to them.
The goal is simple: help students graduate with more than a diploma.
“We're trying to inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs,” says Larocque. “Students can work on something really innovative, receive one-on-one mentorship, and graduate with experience they can talk about when entering their careers.”
By combining classroom learning with practical workplace experience, Confederation College is helping students build confidence, strengthen their resumes, and develop the skills employers are looking for.
“Students are doing something cool while they're here,” adds Larocque. “And when they enter the workforce, they may already have a step up because they've worked on projects that made a real difference.”
For students looking to turn their education into meaningful experience, Confederation College offers something powerful: the opportunity to start building the future before they even graduate.
