Student Employment Initiative Program

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Student Employment Initiative Program

What is the Student Employment Initiative (SEI) Program?

As a collaboration between the Department of Career & Experiential Learning and the Fred Smithers Centre for Student Accessibility, the Student Employment Initiative (SEI) is an employment and experiential program designed to assist SMU students experiencing disability in securing employment on and off campus.

To enroll, students must be registered with the Fred Smithers Centre for Student Accessibility (FSC), in addition to other qualifying criteria listed below. Employment opportunities are posted throughout the year on and listed under the 'Student Employment Initiative Program' tab found on the left side navigation menu.

Additional Information

To enroll, students must meet at least one of the following criteria: 

  • Nova Scotia permanent resident with declared disability on  
  • Canadian domestic (non-Nova Scotian) student registered with the

Not sure if you qualify or have questions about declaring your disability? Reach out to sei@smu.ca for support and guidance or !  

  1. Login to under the ‘Student’ tab using your SMU email and password.
  2. Click the 'Student Employment Initiative Program' tab in the menu bar on the left side of your screen. This is the sixth (6) tab from the top.   
  3. Click on the ‘Apply to a Program’ button on the top right corner and complete the application form. After submitting your application, you will hear back from the SEI Program Lead within a week. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Program Lead at sei@smu.ca! 
  • Gain paid employment and/or volunteer experience in your field of interest  
  • Further develop your skills and competencies through SEI-exclusive workshops and events 
  • SEI students can offer a 50% wage subsidy to potential employers 
  • Remain enrolled in SEI and qualify for the wage subsidy for six months following graduation 
  • Receive an official certificate upon program completion  

The SEI Program also offers students the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on volunteer experience through the Experiential Pathway, designed for students who do not have prior experience working. Through the Experiential Pathway, students complete at least 10 hours of volunteering before moving on to explore paid opportunities. 

  • On-Campus Career360 Platform Support Assistant (Deadline: June 19)
  • On-Campus Project Manager with the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre (Deadline: June 21)
  • Downtown Halifax Crew Member with Downtown Halifax Business Commission (Deadline: June 26)
  • Volunteer Notetaker with Spencer House Seniors Centre (Deadline: July 1)
  • Nocturne 2028 Festival Curator: Request for Expressions of Interest (Deadline: July 6)
  • Volunteer position with National Youth Service Network (Deadline: July 31)
  • Personal Care Provider in Halifax (Deadline: November 2)
  • Lead Generation Specialist (Deadline: December 13)

 

The Student Employment Initiative – Service Learning (SEI-SL) Bursary:

Incentivizes students experiencing disability to accept volunteer opportunities in the SL program. The goal of the bursary is to work towards equity, diversity, and inclusion in SL and ease barriers to participation.

To qualify for the bursary, students must meet all the following requirements: 

  • Enrolled in a SL experience coordinated by the SL Office. 
  • Enrolled in the SEI Program or eligible to register. 

Each bursary is up to $500 awarded to a maximum of 15 individual students per calendar year

Visit the SMU events calendar for all on-campus events!

For any questions about SEI events, contact sei@smu.ca.