Student Work Experience

Practicum

The practicum is an eight-week work term where you'll take the skills you learnt in your program and apply them to an on-the-job setting. It is an opportunity to deepen and enrich your educational experience while building career connections and gaining industry work experience.

Five programs require practicum completion for graduation:

• Business Intelligence: Data Analysis and Reporting (BSN)
• Database Administrator (DBA)
• Network System Specialist (NSS)
• Object-Oriented Software Development (OOSD)
• Web Developer (WBDV)

It is an eight-week (320-hour) work term. An unpaid practicum cannot extend to 320 hours, whereas a paid role may. The practicum is complete once the 320-hour term has been satisfied, but employment can continue. Practicums can be paid, unpaid or for employees. The role can be based in Calgary, across Canada or internationally and may be on-site, hybrid or fully remote.

While the Industry Liaison Coordinator shares practicum opportunities, you're strongly encouraged to seek out your own opportunities through job boards, SAIT's My Career Hub and self-marketing.

The practicum is a required three-credit course within specific certificate programs. The associated tuition and fees are included in the tuition fees listed on each program's webpage.

You can complete the practicum at any time after completion of academic study. The Government of Alberta allows students five years (from the start of classes) to complete a certificate program.

International students are strongly encouraged to visit the International Centre or speak to their International Student Advisor for more information regarding the documentation required to work in a practicum role.

Radio Television and Broadcast News Diploma

Students in this program are encouraged to connect with their faculty directly for more details on their practicum.

When and how do I register?

1. Find a practicum position and have a start date.
2. If you have been away from SAIT for more than one term, you must complete an Intent to Return form. Once completed, email it to sadt.advising@sait.ca.
3. Self-register for the practicum course through mySAIT based on timelines posted on sait.ca.

How do I complete the practicum course?

1. After registering for the course, you will gain access to all the course assignments in Brightspace (D2L). You and your employers will sign two forms due at the beginning of your practicum and submit both in the Brightspace course shell under assignments.
2. In the final week of your practicum, you must complete and submit the Student Practicum Assessment into Brightspace under assignments.
3. In the final week of your practicum, you'll also need to send your supervisor the Employer Evaluation so they can complete it and send it directly to sadt.wil@sait.ca.
4. After completing and submitting all assignments, your final grade for the course will be available within three business days.

Co-op

The optional co-op is an opportunity to deepen your educational experience, build your career connections and get your foot in the door with industry. The optional co-op course allows you to gain paid industry experience and bring your classroom learning to life through the workplace. It is open to students in most of the School for Advanced Digital Technology's Diploma programs.

Co-op jobs can be 4, 8, 12 or 16 months long (note that co-op jobs that last longer than four months will affect your anticipated graduation date). You'll typically take your co-op during the break between your first and second year. While the Industry Liaison Coordinator shares co-op job postings in the co-op prep course - ORNT 002, you're strongly encouraged to seek out your own opportunities through job boards, SAIT's My Career Hub and self-marketing. The co-op can be with a local company, elsewhere in Alberta, Canada or internationally. Onsite, hybrid and remote work is accepted.

In your second semester, you'll register for our free co-op prep course - ORNT 002, via MySAIT. This online asynchronous course is self-paced with no live classes. It will help you develop the skills required to secure employment. Registration remains open for the entire semester.

When you find a co-op job, you'll self-register for the co-op course, CPWK 255, during the registration period for the corresponding semester. CPWK 255 is a zero-credit course. Tuition is based on a one-credit course from your program.

International students are encouraged to visit the International Centre, speak to their International Student Advisor or visit our Co-op Work Permit page for more information regarding the documentation required to work in a co-op role.

Capstone & Final projects

A capstone (diploma programs) or final project (certificate programs) involves the cumulative learnings and skills developed throughout your program. This practical and innovative project allows you to tackle an open-ended problem by applying your creativity and problem-solving abilities to a real-world context.

It may include an industry-sponsored project idea where you work collaboratively with an industry partner to find solutions to their business needs or to complete an ongoing project.

This showcase isn't just about the projects — it's about the future of tech talent in Calgary. Students demonstrated innovative solutions to real-world challenges across diverse disciplines — from Software Development and Integrated Artificial Intelligence to Film and Video Production.

Soon-to-graduate SAIT students participate in Tech CapCon 2025

Have more questions?

Get ready for your work experience today. For more information on SAIT's work integrated learning opportunities, contact Industry Liaison Coordinators Autumn.Heinze@sait.ca or Terry.ODwyer@sait.ca.