Hiring Indigenous students

When you hire an Indigenous student, it’s important to do so in a good way. We're dedicated to helping you diversify, decolonize and Indigenize your workplace.

UVic’s commitment to Truth & Reconciliation

At UVic, we’re committed to act on the recommendations of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s report through action and conversation. The UVic Indigenous Plan describes these commitments in detail.

Before you hire

Before you hire an Indigenous student, consider:

do you have a clear sense of why your organization seeks to hire Indigenous applicants?
how does your hiring process respect, engage with and respond to the diversity of Indigenous identities?

Training and company culture

is your organization committed to ongoing training, education and professional development around Indigenous histories and the impacts of colonization?
how does your hiring process recognize and value the experiences and identity that an Indigenous employee brings?
non-Indigenous leadership needs to champion reconciliation, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. Who is your workplace's non-Indigenous leader who leads this work?

Supporting students in the workplace

what work have you done as a supervisor or as an organization to decolonize your workplace culture?
if you hire an Indigenous person for their cultural competencies, how will you support them in the workplace?
if an applicant experiences tokenization in the hiring process, what strategies does your organization have in place to address this?

Retention and benefits

what kind of retention plans do you have to specifically support new Indigenous hires?
does your organization provide childcare benefits, resources and services?
does your organization offer accommodations for cultural and familial obligations?

Resource hub

We partnered with the Association for Co-operative Education and Work Integrated Learning BC/Yukon (ACE-WIL) to help Indigenous students access and succeed in their work terms.

Resources on the ACE-WIL Indigenous resource hub include:

strategies for recognizing and addressing tokenism
a self-assessment worksheet for employers
information about self-locating and self-identifying
hiring Indigenous students: the job posting and beyond

Events

Indigenous Career Fair

we host this event in the fall and spring to connect Indigenous students, recent grads and community members with organizations working to actively support Indigenous employees
the registration fee is $50 for community exhibitors and $250 for corporate and government exhibitors

Mock Interview Clinic

connect with Indigenous students looking for feedback on their interview skills
this event takes place twice a year on the same day as the Indigenous Career Fair

Indigenous employers

Co-op students have the skills and energy to make a difference in your workplace. Contact the Indigenous co-op and career coordinator to discuss your needs and find the right fit. You may also qualify for funding if you hire Indigenous students.