At TRU, faculty and staff can hire students as a work study student, a teaching assistant, a research assistant or a Co-op student. Each of these programs provide students with valuable experiential learning while offsetting the cost of their post-secondary education.
WorkStudy
WorkStudy is a TRU funded financial assistance program running on the Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses which offers an opportunity for full-time Canadian students with financial need to work part-time in positions that accommodate their studies.
The program runs from September to April with applications starting in August of each year until all positions are filled. WorkStudy positions pay minimum wage and are a maximum of eight hours per week (240 hours for the academic year).
Contact the Student Awards & Financial Aid office at finaid@tru.ca for more information about starting a WorkStudy position.
Co-operative Education
Co-operative Education at TRU is an academic credit-based program that provides students with graduating credits while working in paid, full time positions. Students alternate between academic semesters and work term semesters. Co-op work terms can be for 4, 8, or 12 months and begin in September, January or May. Schools, departments and divisions can hire TRU students for various on-campus positions. Student research positions can also be facilitated through the Co-op program.
TRU co-ops should be posted through Career & Experiential Learning. To start the process, contact us at careereducation@tru.ca or 250-371-5627.
Undergraduate and graduate teaching assistants
Teaching Assistants are employed by TRU to assist instructional faculty in duties such as: demonstrating labs and leading discussion periods, tutorials and seminars based on the guidance and direction received from faculty members and marking exams, tests, lab exercises and assignments, field work or associated invigilation duties, under the academic supervision of faculty. Teaching Assistants will work under the academic supervision and ongoing day to day supervision of a faculty member and the overall administrative supervision of the relevant Chair and Dean.
To be eligible for a teaching assistant position, students must meet the following criteria:
Undergraduate teaching assistant
- Enrolled in an undergraduate program at TRU
- Completed at least 50% of their current program of study
- Enrolled in at least 3.0 credits for the semester in which they would be employed
- A minimum GPA of 3.5
- Demonstrate English language proficiency
Graduate teaching assistant
- Enrolled in a graduate degree program at TRU
- Must be in good academic standing
- Demonstrate English language proficiency
- An UTA or GTA is limited to ten (10) hours per week and a maximum of one hundred and forty (140) hours of employment in any semester.
Undergraduate and graduate teaching positions are advertised in the relevant department and on Career & Experiential Learning’s Career Connections job board. Contact CEL at careereducation@tru.ca to post your TA position on Career Connections.
Forms can be accessed by the faculty member through People and Culture’s OneTRU or by emailing hrofficers@tru.ca Once hired, the student TA must complete paperwork to let HR know who has been hired, initiate the payroll process, and inform IT for email access.
Additional notes about teaching assistants
- Teaching Assistants are members of CUPE Local 4879. The basic terms and conditions for Teaching Assistants are outlined in the Letter of Understanding with CUPE local 4879.
- Teaching Assistants are limited to 10 hours per week of work. Hours cannot be banked or accumulated. Hours are to be worked throughout the semester and must end within one week of the end of the exam period. Teaching Assistants are limited to 140 hours of employment in any semester.
- Teaching Assistants will be provided with orientation by the respective department on or prior to the first day of employment. This orientation session will include an overview of the roles, responsibilities, safety issues, working conditions, and evaluation procedures. Each Teaching Assistant will be provided with a TA Handbook. A Teaching Assistant is an employee of TRU and is covered by WorkSafe BC regulations.
- All matters related to misconduct or discipline of the TA will be handled by the respective Dean.
- Please note the relevant department is responsible for all hours of work performed and vacation pay. Wages are paid on a bi-weekly payroll system through the electronic timesheet approval process.
Student research assistants
Both graduate and undergraduate students may be hired as research assistants. Student research assistants are hired as employees of TRU. Contact CEL at careereducation@tru.ca to post your RA position on Career Connections
Student research positions can also be facilitated through the Co-operative Education program. Contact Career & Experiential Learning at careereducation@tru.ca for more information about student research assistant co-op work terms.
More information Student Research Assistants
Go to People and Culture’s Hiring a Student Research Assistant
Riipen Level Up
Riipen Level Up is an innovative tool designed to integrate experiential learning into the classroom. It connects domestic students with companies and organizations through remote, project-based learning, enabling them to apply academic knowledge to real-world challenges. This platform offers an excellent opportunity to deepen student engagement, bridge the gap between theory and practice, and better prepare our students for the workforce.
Contact Larry Iles, Experiential Learning Coordinator, at liles@tru.ca for more information on how you can use Riipen to support students’ experiential learning.
