Advance Ontario connects eligible Ontario post-secondary students with remote internships to build in-demand skills. Ontario employers mentor students through paid 60-hour projects over 2-8 weeks. Powered by Riipen, the program promotes workforce diversity and aims to create lasting job opportunities while boosting Ontario’s economy.

Visit our Help Centre to read our key dates, FAQs & our Terms and Conditions. 

Employers: 

• Submit your project match request by December 20, 2024 to participate in this cohort. Once matched, students can apply during the application period January 6–17, 2025. You'll review applications and choose 1-4 students for your project.
• You must accept at least one student by January 17, 2025 to participate.
• The project runs from January 20, 2025, and work cannot begin until the start date. Students must complete the onboarding survey, click "start project" on Riipen and complete all deliverables, including 60 work log hours, in at least 2 weeks or by the end date.
• Check out Getting Started with Advance Ontario: Employers for more information.

Students: 

• Students are invited on a first-come, first-served basis and must apply here. There are 500 spots in this cohort, and once filled, remaining applications will be canceled.
• If invited, you must apply to projects by January 6–17, 2025 and start by January 20, 2025 if accepted.
• You can apply to THREE projects at a time. Once an employer accepts one of your applications, your remaining applications will be canceled, and that project will be yours for the rest of the cohort. 

Projects require clearly defined deliverables outlined in the project description. Deliverables include the working documents and the final project uploaded for review and payment. This may encompass source code, presentations, marketing materials, etc. 

To validate completion, students submit deliverables as uploaded files with a reflective note. Tangible proof or samples of completed work are necessary, with redacted deliverables if under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).