Tuesday, September 01, 2026
Langara’s Co-op and Career Development Centre is now the Centre for Career and Work-Integrated Learning, covering far more than co-op.
snəw̓eyəɬ leləm Langara College’s Co-op and Career Development Centre (CCDC) is now the Centre for Career and Work-Integrated Learning (CCWIL).
This change is designed to make CCWIL’s purpose easier to understand at a glance. Co-op has always been one part of what the department does, and the new name reflects the broader work-integrated learning (WIL) picture.
“We connect students to career skills, resources, and employers/alumni to help them in their career paths,” says Sue Yang, department chair of the CCWIL. “Many students often think we only work with co-op students because the former name limited expectations.”
The new name is meant to remove that barrier to understanding. Co-op is one piece. The new name represents the full, connected pathway of career development and work-integrated learning opportunities that help students apply what they learn.
Start your career journey early
Career support doesn’t have to wait until graduation. Students can intentionally build career readiness through practical opportunities and CCWIL’s career connections.
The department’s impact is personal for Sarah Bowker, a Langara alum and 2024 Co-op Student of the Year. She says her journey started with a graduation requirement but became something much bigger. “I needed to complete a co-op placement to graduate. I knew it would give me work experience, but don’t think I fully understood how valuable that experience would end up being.”
She also credits co-op with helping her connect classroom learning to real-world work: “I was able to take things I had learned in school and see how they could be used in a workplace.”
Career outcomes and confidence
Sarah says the department’s support helped her move from applying to performing. “Having someone review my application and give feedback made the process feel a lot less intimidating. The biggest thing they gave me was confidence.”
That confidence and hands-on experience helped her transition into a full-time career after co-op, showing why CCWIL’s expanded career support matters.
That connection between learning, experience and career development is at the heart of CCWIL's new identity. The name may be new, but its purpose is clear: helping Langara students build the skills, experience and connections they need for what comes next.
There’s no better time than now to get started on your career development. Find out how the Centre for Career and Work-Integrated Learning can support you.
