FAQ About Hiring An ETOL Student

What are Applied Field Studies (AFS)?

Applied Field Studies I and II are two work placement courses in the Bachelor of Applied Science (Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership) Program, an educational and experiential program. ETOL students put classroom knowledge into practice, and at the same time, they learn on the job what can’t be taught in a textbook. The results are significant – career direction, skill development and personal growth. Our students bring employers fresh ideas, limitless energy and highly transferable skills to their jobs.

Who is my AFS Contact?

Your point of contact for hiring ETOL students is the Program Coordinator, Jo-Anne Reynolds. 

What are the steps to hiring a ETOL student?

Step 1: Contact the Program Coordinator
by email; jreynolds@mhc.ab.ca; telephone (403) 529.3973; fax (403) 504-3515

Step 2: Job Posting
Send a job posting to the Program Coordinator, at least two months prior to the work placement. The earlier you post, the more students will be available to you.

Step 3: Application
Student cover letters and resumes are sent to you by the indicated deadline for your interview selection.

Step 3: The Interview
You may contact the student directly or the Program Coordinator may assist you in scheduling interviews on campus, by telephone or at your location.

Step 4: Employment Offer
After the interviews are completed, an offer of employment is put forward to the student.

Step 5: Work Placement Agreement
The employer signs the work placement agreement to formalize the AFS.

Step 6: Site Visits
The program coordinator or the faculty advisor may visit you and the student at the work site to make sure things are running smoothly and satisfactory, if feasible and budget permitting.

Step 7: Evaluation
Once the work placement is done, the employer completes a written evaluation form of the student’s performance.

When are students available?

Field Study placements normally last for 4 months, parallel to academic terms, so students can seamlessly combine academic and practical learning as they complete their Applied Degree program.

ETOL 350 (Field Studies I) occurs May through August in the student’s second year.

ETOL 450 (Field Studies II) can be completed between January and August in the student’s third year.

What students are available?

Our degree takes 3.5 years to complete. 2nd and 3rd year ETOL students are actively seeking AFS work placements.

My organization is not in southern Alberta, can I still hire an ETOL student?

Absolutely! ETOL students love to travel and are prepared to relocate to other locations in Alberta, Canada, US and overseas.

Does the employer assist with housing or relocation costs?

In most cases students expect to pay the cost of accommodation and relocation expenses, although many employers have provided assistance ranging from subsidized staff quarters to reimbursing travel expenses, upon successful completion of the AFS work placement.

What is the cost?

There are no fees for the employer to participate in the Field Studies process.

MHC expects employers hiring ETOL students to comply with federal and provincial employment standards and human rights codes. Accordingly, MHC holds its students responsible for the highest level of professional and personal conduct on the job.

Who determines the student’s wages?

Employers decide the wages. All we ask is that the employer pay ETOL students an equitable wage in keeping with their experience and educational level. Other forms of compensation can take the form of certifications, courses, or room and board offered by the employer.

What is the commitment?

It is expected that employers will participate in MHC’s educational process by creating an environment that encourages students to learn new skills. An orientation to the workplace that includes the employer’s working practices, policies, safety issues and procedures is required, as is feedback on the student's progress.

In addition, midway through the work placement, the program coordinator or the faculty advisor may contact the employer to arrange a meeting at the work place (if feasible and budget permitting). Part of this site visit involves meeting with the supervisor to discuss the student’s performance thus far.

How much paperwork will I have to do?

As far as paper work, there is hardly any to complete.

• The program coordinator will be happy to help compose job postings for the employer, if necessary.
• To formalize the work placement experience, MHC and the employer enter into a work placement agreement.
• Once the ETOL student is hired, the employer is required to complete a mid-term evaluation and  a final evaluation of the AFS student at the end of the work placement - before the student returns to MHC. The evaluation will assess the performance of the student and your recommendations for their future.

Can I contact the students directly?

Absolutely. However, the program coordinator is responsible for negotiating work placements with employers and with managing the procedures and policies leading up to the acceptance of the work placement placement offer. Until a final job assignment has been made, all communication should go through the program coordinator.

I have an outstanding student. How can I recognize their performance?

Begin with in-house recognition – a staff trip, or a profile in the organization's newsletter/marketing brochures. Next, let the program coordinator know about your student – we can nominate him or her as MHC Student of the Year, think about setting up a scholarship, submit a story idea to the MHC Communications staff, or tell your industry colleagues - you may just convince someone to hire an ETOL student or graduate.