On-site visits & evaluation
The IIP Coordinator usually visits the work site during the probationary period and during the work experience term. The visit is scheduled at a time convenient for the student and employer. The purpose of the meeting is to assess how the internship is going from both the student's and supervisor's points of view.
The on-site visit is an informal meeting that lasts about 1 hour; half the time is spent with the employer and the other half with the student. Tours of the work site and the viewing of student projects can be part of the on-site visit. For students placed in remote areas for a work term, it can be difficult to have a site visit due to prohibitive costs. In these cases the job site visit may be done through a telephone call or via e-mail.
Formal evaluation of student performance occurs at the end of each term. On-the-job performance is judged by the employer. The Internship is graded on a pass/fail basis.
After the 4-month probationary period, a review is conducted by the employer to determine the appropriateness of the internship. The employer and the student jointly discuss the evaluation. If the partnership is not working, the student may withdraw from the program. A copy of the evaluation is forwarded to the IIP Coordinator.
The final evaluation is completed at the end of the internship. Students are evaluated on both technical and non-technical skills. As with the 4-month evaluation, a copy of the final evaluation is forwarded to the IIP Coordinator and these evaluations become part of the student's program records.