Kick-Start Your Career at Lakehead

93.6% of Lakehead University students are employed within two years of graduation, which is above the provincial average. With a 19:1 student-professor ratio at our Thunder Bay campus (and 17:1 at our Orillia campus), students have a greater opportunity to become involved in work that is both relevant to their studies and to their post-graduation success. Here are some of the ways Lakehead prepares students for their career path:

Research Work with Professors
Many of Lakehead’s professors hire students during the summer to assist them in research projects. Not only does this give students paid experience, but it leads to jobs in their field after graduation.

“I worked with one of my professors during my first summer in the program which gave me great hands-on experience. I've now spent three summers working for professors creating data analysis programs, databases, websites, and graphical interfaces for scientific programs.” – Thomas Sitter, Bioinformatics.

On-Campus Job Opportunities
Lakehead’s Student Success Centre (SSC) maintains an extensive job bank and handy job search resources for students to find work conveniently on-campus during the school year or summer.

“I was able to be a part of a program called Superior Science, a summer science camp for children in grades 1-9. Getting the opportunity to teach children science for two summers was an amazing experience, and I am constantly learning things from having a different perspective and organizing the camp.” – Tyler Drawson, Biology

Volunteer Opportunities
Employers look for well-rounded students who have been engaged in student groups and the community. The LEAD program at Lakehead’s Thunder Bay campus and the EXCEL program at the Orillia foster leadership and student involvement. Both campuses offer a co-curricular record to recognize students’ valuable volunteer experiences. The record serves as an official document of a student’s involvement in extracurricular activities and their associated learning outcomes.

Academic Competitions
Nothing puts your learning to the test better than national or international competitions. Check out what Lakehead’s Chemical Engineering students and Civil Engineering students have done!

Applied Learning Projects
Many of Lakehead’s courses offer hands-on learning components that encourage students to apply what they’ve learned in class to real-world situations.

“In first year, I had to write a paper about a career I could pursue with a degree in Kinesiology. Through this assignment I had the opportunity to shadow an orthopedic surgeon at the Thunder Bay hospital. It was such a unique experience and I actually got to be in the operating room!” – Jess Warden, Kinesiology

Co-operative Education
Several of Lakehead’s programs offer a co-operative education component, giving students the opportunity to get paid work in their field before they even graduate.

“After year three of the Kinesiology program, I completed 16 months of paid employment in my field. The diversity of my experience was incredible. Through my placements, I was able to discover what I enjoy and what I’m good at doing. Co-op also gave me confidence, skills and job seeking experience.” – Karah Harvey, Kinesiology

Career Planning Services
Lakehead offers a wealth of online and person-to-person resources to help you with resume building, interview preparation, and career development.