SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
As a major employer, SDG 8 is reflected in Laurier’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, meaningful and productive work environment. We also advance SDG 8 by offering students real-world, hands-on training that will lead them to fullfilling future careers.
See some of the work that Laurier completed in 2022 to advance SDG 8.
For the fifth year in a row, Laurier was named one of Waterloo Area’s Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada through the Canada’s Top 100 Employers initiative, an editorial competition that recognizes the nation’s best places to work.
For the third year in a row, Laurier was recognized as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada’s Top 100 Employers awards. Laurier is one of only two postsecondary education institutions selected for the honour, and the only one in Ontario.
Laurier awarded fourth-year Business Administration student Sophie Ziomecki (BBA ’21) its 2021 Co-op Student of the Year Award for workplace achievements while completing a work term at American Express in Toronto.
The enthusiasm among Laurier students supporting community and workplace partners through virtual placements, internships and course-related projects did not wane during the remote environment of the pandemic. Laurier courses with a community or workplace partnership component provide students with meaningful opportunities to fuse course content with future-ready experiences outside of the traditional classroom. The courses also allow Laurier and its students to give back in their host communities by meeting the needs of community partners.
The Bachelor of Arts and Master’s (BA+MA) program at Laurier has been the perfect fit for fourth-year History student Brianne Casey. As a BA+MA student, Casey can complete two degrees in five years without having to apply separately for admission into a Master of Arts program in History. BA+MA programs at Laurier are also available English and Applied Politics. The program is ideal for academically inclined students like Casey, who knew in high school that she wanted to obtain a master’s degree.
Explore the work that Laurier research centres do foster decent work and economic growth.
In addition to promoting research within its academic networks, the Laurier Centre for Economic Research and Policy Analysis works with professional economists, government bodies and community stakeholders to advance the collective understanding of economic trends, policy applications, and other economic and social issues.
The Co-operators Centre for Business and Sustainability facilitates and coordinates research related to business and environmental sustainability. The centre ensures regular communication between researchers and practitioners, including strategic decision-makers in the local sustainability community. Based at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Laurier, the centre hosts seminars, conferences and roundtables to discuss relevant topics aligned with practitioner needs and assists in disseminating research findings in a timely fashion to those who can use them.
Learn more about Laurier initiatives in 2022 that helped advance SDG 8.
Co-operative education, a form of work-integrated learning, is a model of education that integrates and alternates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to academic and personal goals. Laurier approves jobs that will provide students with the opportunity to learn while performing productive work. Employers supervise students and evaluate performance, and co-op consultants monitor progress on the job. Students are paid by their employers.
Community Service-Learning (CSL) courses at Laurier integrate service in the community with academic content through placements or projects. Students are guided through critical reflection activities that will connect the experience outside the classroom with course material. Laurier offers CSL courses in psychology, human rights and human diversity, youth and children’s studies, global studies, health studies and French, with new courses in development. We partner with non-profit or social profit organizations, schools, community centres and social agencies.