Co-op Employer of the Year Award
Celebrating Excellence
The Experiential Learning Hub recognizes the success of co-op students and employers each year with the Co-op Awards, an event that celebrates their contributions and achievements in experiential learning and industry partnerships.
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Co-op Employer of the Year Award
Students, along with faculty and staff, are invited to nominate an employer who created a successful experiential learning opportunity for University of Guelph Co-op students during any work term in 2026.
Two "Co-op Employers of the Year" will be selected.
The employer located outside of Guelph with the highest overall score will be awarded the National Co-op Employer of the Year Award.
The Guelph-based employer with the highest score of all Guelph-based employers nominated will be awarded the Guelph Co-op Employer of the Year Award.
This award includes a recognition piece and permanent name placement on the award plaque.
Nominations for 2026 will open on February 13, 2026.
2026 Nomination Deadline Dates
- April 24, 2026
- Winter Work Term
- August 28, 2026
- Summer Work Term
- November 20, 2026
- Fall Work Term
See also
Previous Award Winners
- 2024 Stryker (National Winner) & Wellington Group of Companies (Guelph Winner)
- 2023 Magnet Forensics (National Winner) & John F. Wood Centre, University of Guelph (Guelph Winner)
- 2022 Environmental and Climate Change Canada (National Winner) & Linamar Gear, Linamar Corporation (Guelph Winner)
- 2021 Axonify (National Winner) & Envision SQ (Guelph Winner)
- 2020 Unitron Hearing, Sonova (National Winner) & Wellington Brewery (Guelph Winner)
- 2019 ecobee (National Winner) & University of Guelph, McLaughlin Library (Guelph Winner)
- 2018 Canadian Wildlife Services (National Winner) & Linamar Corp. (Guelph Winner)
- 2017 Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (National Winner) & RWDI (Guelph Winner)
2016 Cole Engineering Group Ltd. (National Winner) & The Uniacke Research Lab, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Guelph (Guelph Winner) - 2015 The City of Mississauga, Environmental Services Section (National Winner) & Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (Guelph Winner)
- 2014 PwC Audit & Assurance Group - Kitchener/Waterloo office (National Winner) & Canadian Solar Inc. (Guelph Winner)
- 2013 Mikutech Inc.
- 2012 McNeil Consumer Healthcare
- 2011 The National Microbiology Laboratory Public Health Agency of Canada
- 2010 Bioenterprise Corporation
- 2009 Real Net Canada Incorporated
- 2008 Coast Hotels & Resorts
- 2007 Canadian Tire Corporation
- 2006 Oliver Bonacini Restaurants
- 2005 Canadian Standards Association
- 2004 Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses PHAC
- 2003 R.J Burnside and Associates Limited
- 02/03 Coast Hotels & Resorts
- 2002 Acres & Associated
- 2001 McNeil Consumer Healthcare
- 2000 Sybase Incorporated
- 1999 Uniroyal Chemical Limited Guelph
