Program Overview

Enterprise is a competitive 6-month internship and business mentorship program that gives graduates of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines an opportunity to work with small to medium-sized companies (SME) operating in a STEM sector throughout Southern Ontario.

Our focus is to match high-potential participants to small and medium-sized companies (SME) and provide interns with 3 days of business and management training, a peer support network and progress monitoring to encourage skill and knowledge transfer to the SME.  

The interns receive experience working with a company that can benefit from their technical and business management training. The SMEs get access to a highly-talented and trained workforce who can help them meet the demands of their business environment immediately and in the years to come.  SMEs will not only find that they have qualified, motivated interns who are eager to make a difference, it will also provide an excellent opportunity to evaluate future potential talent for their business.

How the Program Works

SMEs

Step One

All SME applicants must fill-out an initial webform  with company information.  SMEs may apply with or without an intern.  

Step Two

SMEs who meet the eligibility requirements will receive an Internship Proposal document.  SMEs must be located in Southern Ontario, be in a STEM related sector and have fewer than 1,000 employees to be eligible for the program.

Step Three

The Internship Proposal is submitted by email along with the company’s financial statements for consideration.  The Enterprise program is a competitive process. All applications are reviewed fairly however only a select number will be successful with their application. 

Step Four

After a SME’s Internship Proposal and approved intern has been accepted into the Mitacs Enterprise program, the Mitacs Contribution Agreement will be forwarded to the successful organization for signature.  We also require that a copy of the Job Offer to the intern be submitted to Mitacs. Companies who have submitted an application without an intern will be presented with a number of potential interns approved by Mitacs who are deemed appropriate for the requirements of the SME’s internship proposal.   

Graduate Applicants

All graduate applicants must submit an application in a one-page webform  on the Mitacs site along with your CV, reference letter and most recent transcript. 

Once eligibility is confirmed, an applicant who is already matched with a SME will work directly with the SME from that point forward.  If an eligible applicant does not have a SME partner, they will be added to the Mitacs database of applicants and matched with potential SMEs for the interview process. 

Mitacs will provide business management and project management training to interns as part of the Enterprise program.  All interns must attend the training as part of the internship.  The training is divided into 2 sections.  The first is a One-Day Orientation which will provide the intern with the tools needed to successfully begin the internship.  The second part is a Two-Day Bootcamp where interns will build on the tools they have learned and the experience gained to help them be successful. 

Program Eligibility

Graduate Interns

To be eligible, graduates must be:

• A recent graduate of a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program from a university (Bachelor, Masters, Doctorate) or hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited degree granting college;
• Recent Graduates must have finished their last degree no more than 5 years ago;
• Not have previously participated in the Mitacs Enterprise internship program;
• Be eligible to work in the province of Ontario for the duration of the internship;
• Not currently be employed by the company offering the internship.
• Be an Ontario resident
• Participate in a One-Day Orientation Session before employment starts at own cost
• Participate in a Two-Day skills Bootcamp during internship

Part-time student Interns

To be eligible, part-time student interns must be:

• A current Masters or Doctoral student in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program from a university
• Not have previously participated in the Mitacs Enterprise internship program;
• Be eligible to work in the province of Ontario for the duration of the internship;
• Not currently be employed by the company offering the internship.
• Be an Ontario resident
• Participate in a One-Day Orientation Session before employment starts at own cost
• Participate in a Two-Day skills Bootcamp during internship

Funding & Status

There are three funding levels of Enterprise internships.

The values of the full-time internships available are at minimum $20,000 for graduates with an Undergraduate degree from a College or University.  At the Masters and Doctoral level the internship is at minimum $30,000. There are a limited number of part-time internships available to current students at the Masters and Doctoral level for a minimum of $15,000. The Enterprise program funds 50% of the internship costs stated above.

The value of the internship is paid as a salary to the Intern by the SME. Funding for this salary is shared between Mitacs and the SME to the maximum of the award granted. The SME is responsible for paying the salary of the Intern and taking any deductions required. In-kind contributions provided by the SMEs are not calculated towards participant compensation but may be a deciding factor in a successful proposal. 

Intellectual Property

Any intellectual property (IP) developed during the internship will belong to the SME who has sponsored the Intern.

Conflict of Interest Criteria

Click here to view the Mitacs Conflict of Interest policy. Please note that the trainee cannot be:

• An owner or a co-owner of the SME;
• A relative of an owner or co-owner of the SME; or
• A participant in the day-to-day management of the SME.

Application Information

An open call for applications (Interns and SMEs) will be issued throughout the year. Please see Important Dates and Deadlines for more information.

The Internship Proposal is used to determine which internship proposals will be accepted as part of the Enterprise program.  The Internship Proposal will outline the various aspects of the internship from the Intern's responsibilities (work-plan) to the mentorship activities (mentoring plan). This application will help us to understand how you intend to place the Intern in your business and the experience they will receive.

We suggest that Internships should be focused in at least two of the following areas in order for the Interns to be best able to understand and contribute to the SMEs business development.

• Research and Development
• Marketing
• Product Development
• Operations
• Strategic Planning
• Human Resources
• Finance
• Project Management
• Sales and Customer Service

The proposal should also describe how the internship will be structured and the value of all in-kind contributions. Proposals must provide details as to who will be responsible for the mentoring and also give an estimate of the number of mentoring hours.

The structure of the work plan between the company and Intern should include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Participation in projects involving at least two of the desired experience areas listed above;
• Any specific projects the Intern will work on during the term of employment
• Access during the internship to key individuals within the organization who have specific and relevant competencies, experience and expertise for skill transfer opportunities;

Emphasis in our adjudication process is given to the structure of the mentoring plan between the company and Intern.  Internship proposals should include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Biweekly meetings to discuss progress on the assigned project as well as provide helpful advice and guidance;
• Access during the internship to key individuals within the organization who can provide guidance and direction
• Development of a job placement plan for the applicant which will include potential opportunities within the placement company or within the company's network.

Funding of the Internship will occur when an Internship Proposal is complete.  A completed Internship Proposal will comprise of:

• A completed Company Pre-Qualification Application
• A completed Graduate Intern Application (if available at time of application)
• A Internship Proposal prepared by the SME that will be provided in one package and will include:
  • A work plan for the Intern over the 6 months of the program;
  • A mentoring plan for the mentor to the Intern over the 6 months of the program;
  • An explanation of how the proposed internship will be of value to the SME;
  • An explanation of how the proposed internship will assist the prospective mentee to enter the workforce, either with the mentor SME or with another strong potential employer;
  • An overall description of the planned nature and environment of the internship opportunity.
• Brief profile of company representative responsible for the Intern (including name, title and what makes them a suitable mentor for the student);
• A completed Conflict of Interest and Environmental Impact declaration (if applicable)

Review Process

All eligible applications are reviewed by the Mitacs Enterprise Selection Committee (MESC). The MESC is chaired by the Mitacs Associate Scientific Director.

The committee will perform a ranking of eligible Internship Proposals based on the following criteria:

1. Quality of the opportunity, mentoring plan and training prospects offered by the SME to the prospective Student/Graduate. This includes:
   • Types of activities
   • Skill areas for development
   • Time investment by SME
   • In-kind investment by SME
   • Match of Student/Graduate skill to Business area of the SME
2. Fit of the applicant’s experience with respect to the company’s activities
3. Strength of the support letter

Appeals to the decision should be directed to the chair of the MESC.

A letter indicating status of the application will be sent to both the company and proposed Intern within 4-6 weeks of application.