CICS for Employers

General Information

The Co-operative Internship in Computer Science (CICS), formerly Computer Industry Internship Option (CIIO), is a collaborative effort between the Department of Computer Science, the co-operative education office for the Faculty of Science, and local, national and international employers. The program gives employers access to a qualified pool of technically proficient student workers.

Internships begin in January, May or September and are either 8, 12 or 16 months in duration. The work is full-time and paid at a rate determined by the employer. Employers are encouraged to submit opportunities up to 4 months in advance of the work term start date by contacting the co-op office.

CICS students typically begin their internships between the third and fourth years of their academic program.

CICS students have worked with companies in Newfoundland and Labrador, elsewhere in Canada and sometimes abroad.

Advantages

There are significant benefits to employing an intern. The CICS allows employers to:

  • Meet staffing needs for special projects or ongoing activities
  • Access a pool of qualified, high achieving students
  • Test-drive talent to support long-term recruitment
  • Bring in new knowledge and fresh perspectives
  • Engage and collaborate with Memorial University faculty, staff and
    students to create better business-education links
  • Help shape the future of the workforce in your industry

Memorial University is a member of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada); for a longer list of benefits of co-operative education and internships for students, employers and institutions visit their website.

Students in the CICS

Acceptance into the CICS is a selective and competitive process. In order to be eligible for the program applicants must:

  1. be a declared Computer Science Major
  2. have successfully completed a required selection of courses covering topics including programming, logic, data structures, algorithms, computer architecture, operating systems, software engineering, networking, information management, and ethics
  3. have a strong academic record

How to Hire an Intern

The process to hire an intern is ongoing throughout the four months before the work term starts (January, May or September). Engaging early with the Science Co-operative Education Office will give you access to the greatest pool of applicants. The co-op office can assist by posting opportunities on our co-op portal, collecting and forwarding applications, and helping to arrange interviews with suitable candidates.

Contact Information

For more information on how you can hire a computer science student please Contact us.