Student Internship Program
We will be accepting submissions for Student-led internship proposals for the 2025 Student Internship Program for accredited planning schools in BC and Yukon later this year.
The PIBC Student Internship Program is an opportunity for students from accredited planning schools within PIBC’s jurisdiction to work on projects that advance planning practice across Yukon and British Columbia. Hosted on an annual basis, the program creates an opportunity for students to work directly to advance PIBC-led projects and/or Student-led projects that are proposed by a student in conjunction with an academic advisor and external partner.
Program Goals
The goals of the program are threefold:
- Activate student talent and capacity to co-create knowledge/knowledge products that help the profession advance thinking on today's most pressing planning topics.
- Collaborate with students from accredited planning programs in BC to support PIBC in advancing its strategic priorities through applied research.
- Foster a safe and engaging learning environment for PIBC Student Members that contributes to their skill and competency development.
Program Model
Rather than supporting work with narrow benefit to a single partner, the intent of the program is to advance knowledge and action around planning issues that are of broad strategic interest to the PIBC membership. As an internship project may take one of two types (PIBC-led or Student-led), the functions and key responsibilities will vary in some instances by project type as shown below:
- PIBC-led project is one that has been identified by PIBC to advance the work of the Institute and the profession. This work may stem from PIBC’s strategic priorities, PIBC committee work or Board/ Administration directive. PIBC-led projects will be designed to seek student submissions that will provide an overall work plan on how they propose completing the project.
- Student-led project is one that has been submitted by a student enrolled in an accredited planning program in British Columbia and generally in partnership with a faculty advisor and an external partner. Student-led projects will be designed by the student, in collaboration with their academic advisor and an external partner.
An external partner is an individual or organization that is in addition to a faculty advisor that will provide accountability that the internship proposal meets the objectives of the program and all deliverables are completed within the specified timeframe. If the external partner is an organization, a representative of that organization is to be named. An external partner is required to be a member in good standing with PIBC. Examples of an organization include, but are not limited to: First Nation, Local Government; Non-Government Organization, Private Consulting Firm, Provincial Ministry.
