Experience Works FAQ

How does the rate restriction work?
How is the student's year complete determined?
 

I heard the program is cancelled! Is this true?

No, Experience Works has not been cancelled. At the beginning of April 2012, we learned that the Ontario government made the decision to cancel the Ontario Work-Study Program (OWSP) effective immediately.

While the cancellation of OWSP is a significant loss for Experience Works, as this source of funding made up 40% of our budget for the program, the University remains committed to the Experience Works program, as it is a unique program that provides a great deal of benefit to both the students and to the institution.

Career Services worked closely with Student Awards and Financial Aid and the University administration, and for the 2012-13 year, we have been able to secure enough funding to support the program at its usual levels.

However, our funding levels for future years are in question; we cannot be certain that current funding levels will remain the same. We encourage all Experience Works applicants to consider this as they plan for future years.
 

Applications for Spring/Summer positions typically open for three weeks in October each year.

Applications for Fall/Winter positions open for three weeks in late February/March each year.

 

In the Spring/Summer, May-August, funding is available for a maximum of 35 hours of work per week for 16 weeks.
 

In the Fall/Winter, September-April, funding is available for a maximum of 12 hours of work per week for 25 weeks

 

Also, due to the rate restriction, you cannot apply for more that $13.52/hour.
 

The funding for this program does not come from university operating budgets. It comes from two sources - Ontario Work Study and the Tuition Set Aside fund - both of which are mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities for student support, not university support. It is important to note that most post-secondary institutions utilize these funds for bursaries and scholarships; however, Brock decided upon a unique approach to using these funds, the creation of a program that provides benefit to both the student and the institution. Through Experience Works, students benefit from meaningful, paid work experiences that help them develop valuable and varied employability skills and the university benefits from the work the students do. This is a creative, win-win strategy for utilizing the available funding to benefit both the student and the institution.

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Funding for Experience Works is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training and is subject to certain rules and guidelines. Funding can only be offered to students who are eligible according to these rules and guidelines, all of which have been taken into consideration through the Student Financial Profile.

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Students must complete the Student Financial Profile for the session in which they will be working in order to determine eligibilty for Experience Works. Criteria for approval include:

 
The Student Financial Profile is managed by Student Awards and Financial Aid. If you have any questions regarding the Profile or the Experience Works approval, please contact the Student Awards and Financial Aid department.

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Over the past few years, Experience Works has seen a continuous increase in applications for funding. This, combined with a decrease in our funding, has resulted in increasing competition for a limited number of positions. With the increased competition for funds, Experience Works decided to limit funding to $13.52/ hour in order to increase the number of positions we are able to fund.
 

 

Experience Works will only provide funds up to $13.52/hour. Thus, you may only request up to $13.52/hour in your application, even if your position requires a higher rate, as determined by one of the current Brock University Human Resources Student Employment Rate Schedules - The Casual Student Rate Schedule or the Student Assistant Rate Schedule.

If your position is approved, but requires a rate greater than $13.52, the Experience Works Coordinator will create the student's contract at the appropriate rate but you will then be responsible for paying the difference. As with the contribution, if you are paying using an externally funded research account, this amount will deducted from your account through the student contract.

For Example,

 

You apply for a Research Assistant position and it is approved as follows:

 

If you hire a 3rd year complete student for this position, the required rate of pay for that student, according to the Student Assistant Rate Schedule, is $15.35/hour.

 

The Experience Works Coordinator will create the student's contract at $15.35/hour for 35 hours/week for 16 weeks. Including 4% vacation and 9% benefits, the contract will cost $9,744.43. Since your position was approved at $8,582.71, you will be responsible for paying the difference of $1,161.72, in addition to the 35% contribution of $2,943.96, for a total of $4,165.67of the contract.

 

Research Accounts: When the contract is created, it will be split between two accounts - an Experience Works account, and your account. Each time the student is paid, Experience Works will pay a portion, and a portion will be paid from your account. As in the example above, by the end of the contract, approximately $4,165.67 will have been paid from your account, and the balance from Experience Works.

 

For Experience Works, the Year Complete is determined by the number of credits the student has officially completed at the start of the contract.

 

For example, if a student is commencing work on May 1, and as of that date has completed 16 credits according to the Office of the Registrar, he/she is 3^rd year complete.