Dupuis speaker for upcoming chamber luncheon

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This article was published 19/02/2025 (406 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The leader of Brandon University’s Co-operative Education program, Cora Dupuis, has been invited to give the keynote address at an upcoming Brandon Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday at the Clarion Hotel.

The luncheon, titled Empowering Youth Retention, will focus on strategies that help keep young talent in the region.

Dupuis will highlight how partnerships with employers play a critical role.

“Brandon University’s graduating students are eager to get to work and are ready to build a rewarding career in a community that values them,” said Dupuis, who is the program’s co-ordinator.

“Every year, more students get a head start on their careers through Co-op, even before they graduate — while businesses can benefit from hiring skilled, motivated students ready to contribute from day one,” Dupuis stated in a news release.

BU’s Co-op program allows students to “learn and earn,” according to the university’s website. It provides learners with the opportunity to gain “relevant and meaningful work experience,” while exploring different career options.

The program was launched in the 2018-19 academic year and today engages 56 students across the faculties of arts and science.

Once enrolled, the student is matched with an employer for full-time paid work terms that last between 12 and 16 weeks, the website stated.

The work terms are integrated with students’ academic schedules and allow them to gain valuable job experience and feedback from their employers.

During the first year of the program, students worked with employers that included the National Research Council, Cando Rail Services and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Dupuis joined the program in its second year and has been a “driving force behind work-integrated learning at Brandon University,” said Dr. Kofi Campbell, provost and vice-president (academic) at BU, whose office oversees the Co-op program.

“Every day, BU faculty bring keen insights to bear on vexing issues, to help our community grow and improve. We are incredibly proud to see Cora’s acumen recognized by the chamber, and I know she’ll have compelling thoughts to share on a topic that is vital to the future of Brandon and Westman,” Campbell said in the news release.

After her keynote address, Dupuis will co-host an event called, ConnectED: Bridging Students to Industry, which is in collaboration with the Peters School of Business at Assiniboine College and the Brandon Chamber of Commerce.

The event will be “an afternoon of speed mentorship that will allow 80+ students to network with 20+ industry professionals,” stated the university’s news release.

“This marks the first time the university, college and chamber have partnered for such an event, making it a unique opportunity for students and employers alike,” the release stated.

For more information, including tickets for the luncheon, call the Brandon Chamber of Commerce at 204-571-5340.

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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