Business + Higher Education Roundtable and Riipen bring sustainable change and equitable access to Canada's work-integrated learning ecosystem

Launched in 2020 with $2.6 million funding from BHER, supported by the Government of Canada, the BHER-Riipen partnership has created over 12,000 student experiences, engaging 1,212 new employers and 61 higher education institutions across all provinces in Canada. Riipen's technology enables curriculum-embedded WIL projects, facilitating connections between students, educators, and employers nationwide to build a sustainable and inclusive work-integrated learning ecosystem. The program has had remarkable success in fostering accessible and flexible WIL programs, benefiting students, educators, and employers alike.

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Benjamin Feagin Jr. is CEO at AgriTech North, a first-in-kind Indigenous-owned year-round grower of fresh produce in Northwestern Ontario. "Our industry is capital-intensive and has low margins," he shares. "Riipen has been an iconic resource during our start-up phase that provided invaluable work-integrated learning resources, allowing us to accelerate our development and reach the market faster, more professionally, and with unique intellectual property."