Brief Description
Work in a purpose driven career with MaKami College, a public post-secondary college that has been helping students for over 20 years, with locations in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta.
MaKami College offers students in-person, online, and blended programs in Massage Therapy, Health Care Aide, Business Administrative Assistant, Medical Office Assistant, and more. Rapidly growing, we are working to expand our campuses and are continuously working to add programs to our course catalogue. We work with our team to grow and develop in areas they are passionate about, focusing on our MaKami Pillars - Leadership, Professionalism, Helpfulness, and Inspiration. MaKami team members are provided with many opportunities for professional career growth in a fulfilling and dynamic work environment.
The MaKami team is passionate about creating generational change through education, and we provide the tools and a safe environment for our staff to change the lives of our students and their families.
The primary responsibility of the Educational Assistant Practicum Coordinator is the planning, coordination, and oversight of practicum placements for students enrolled in the Educational Assistant program. This role supports students in the transition from classroom learning to hands-on placement experience in inclusive educational settings and works closely with the Educational Assistant Instructor, Program Head, students, and external placement partners to ensure practicums are well organized, aligned with program outcomes, and meaningful for student development.
This role also works collaboratively with the Career Pathways Services team on placement processes, employer or host tracking, and employment pathway support.
Major Accountabilities/Responsibilities
Practicum Coordination & Planning
- Coordinate all aspects of Educational Assistant practicum placements, ensuring alignment with program outcomes, practicum expectations, and College requirements.
- Collaborate with the Educational Assistant Instructors and the Program Head to plan placement timelines, confirm student readiness, and manage placement logistics.
- Coordinate site approval processes, practicum agreements, required documentation, student eligibility requirements, scheduling, and placement confirmation prior to placement.
- Create and distribute practicum schedules, ensuring timelines, placement hours, documentation, and completion requirements are met.
- Maintain accurate placement records, site data, host contact information, student progress notes, hours, attendance, feedback, and completion documentation using Moodle, SharePoint, and other College systems.
Student Support & Engagement
- Prepare students for practicum through orientation, workplace readiness coaching, professional expectations training, résumé support, interview preparation, and job search guidance.
- Provide ongoing mentorship and support to students during practicum, addressing concerns promptly and promoting successful placement outcomes.
- Monitor and assess student progress during placements in collaboration with the Educational Assistant Instructor and host placement supervisors.
- Grade practicum document submissions and ensure required student documentation is complete, accurate, and submitted according to program timelines.
- Proactively coordinate with MaKami departments and practicum hosts to provide necessary accommodations for practicum students when needed.
Partner Relations & Community Engagement
- Source, secure, and maintain suitable practicum sites in K–12 schools, private schools, inclusive learning environments, homeschool organizations, disability support settings, and other approved educational or community-based settings.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with school and community partners to support placement capacity, student learning, and future employment pathways.
- Update employer or host information and support accurate tracking of placement capacity, site requirements, partner contacts, and practicum opportunities.
- Act as a liaison between students, faculty, host placement supervisors, Career Pathways Services, and College departments to support communication, problem solving, and conflict resolution.
- Assist with organizing practicum orientations, career fairs, employer engagement activities, and other practicum-related events.
Program Quality & Compliance
- Conduct site visits, observations, or check-ins to evaluate student performance, placement quality, and alignment with practicum learning outcomes.
- Work collaboratively with the EA Program Department and Career Pathways Services to streamline practicum processes, forecast placement capacity, and resolve cross-departmental challenges.
- Prepare reports on student progress, placement outcomes, site feedback, and practicum trends for review by program leadership.
- Communicate regularly with faculty and placement sites regarding updates, expectations, documentation requirements, student concerns, and emerging issues.
- Participate in program review, quality assurance, and continuous improvement activities related to practicum delivery.
- Maintain current knowledge of inclusive education, educational assistant practice, accommodations, student support strategies, school-based expectations, and Alberta sector trends.
- Other duties as assigned, which are deemed necessary to support the College in achieving its goals and objectives.
Required
Education & Experience
- Certificate, diploma, or degree in Educational Assistant studies, Inclusive Education, Special Education, Disability Studies, Education, Human Services, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Minimum two (2) years of experience in practicum coordination, student placement coordination, work-integrated learning, educational administration, career services, or a related student support role.
- Demonstrated understanding of the Educational Assistant role in Alberta, including support for students with diverse learning, behavioural, developmental, communication, social-emotional, and accessibility needs.
- Experience coordinating schedules, documentation, records, external relationships, and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience working with students, faculty, employers, schools, or community partners in a professional or educational setting.
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, SharePoint, and learning management or student information systems such as Moodle.
- Current Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Clearance.
Preferred
- Educational Assistant Certificate, diploma, or equivalent training related to inclusive education, child and youth development, disability support, or classroom support.
- Previous experience working in K–12, inclusive classroom, specialized learning, private school, homeschool, or disability support environments.
- Experience conducting site visits, student observations, placement assessments, or employer/supervisor check-ins.
