Supporting business students from classroom to career

Our Partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU)

Through our ongoing partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University and the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, Montreal Associates supports business students as they move through their studies, gain practical experience, and begin building their careers.

As a global tech staffing partner, MA connects organisations across Europe and the Americas with specialist talent. Our relationship with WLU began when our Director and Laurier alumnus, Maurizio, returned to the university to share his career experience and introduce students to opportunities in recruitment. From there, it has grown into an ongoing partnership that brings real business challenges into the classroom through initiatives such as ICE and helps students apply their knowledge in the workplace through Winternships and graduate opportunities at MA.

More than a campus partnership

Our relationship with Laurier is built on a shared belief: students develop faster when they have opportunities to apply their knowledge to genuine business questions.

MA works with Laurier and the Lazaridis School in several ways:

  • Bringing real commercial challenges into the classroom through experiential case work.
  • Supporting student projects and evaluating ideas as alumni and industry judges.
  • Offering remote, part-time Winternships that give students meaningful professional experience alongside their studies.
  • Creating pathways into permanent roles when the right opportunity and individual come together.
  • Keeping Laurier alumni involved in the student experience as their own careers progress.

Students do not simply observe the world of work. They analyse real information, solve real problems and produce work that can influence real business decisions.

The partnership in action

Solving a case business challenge

Montreal Associates partnered with WLU for Lazaridis School's Winter 2025 Integrated Case Exercise (ICE), a longstanding experiential learning challenge for Business Administration students.

Working from a case created with Montreal Associates' leadership, student teams developed strategies for our growth in North America's technology staffing market. The finalists presented their recommendations to MA's leaders and Laurier alumni, bringing together commercial analysis, creativity, and persuasive communication.

The experience gave students the opportunity to work on a live strategic question and gave our team fresh perspectives from the next generation of business talent.

Students to MA employees

Our Laurier success stories

Maurizio Gioffrè, Carlos Leon, and Joaquin Salas show three different routes from Laurier into Montreal Associates. Maurizio began his career as a Salesforce recruiter in Barcelona before returning to Canada to build our North American team and progressing to Director, IT Contracts & Managed Services. Carlos developed from Delivery Consultant into a high-performing Sales Consultant, while Joaquin turned a three-month Winternship into a permanent Marketing Data Analyst role.

Maurizio Gioffrè Director, IT Contracts & Managed Services

"By the time I graduated from Laurier in 2016, studying International Business and travelling through Malaysia, China and Hong Kong had opened my eyes to how far an international career could take me. Those experiences gave me the confidence to leave Canada and begin my career with Montreal Associates in Barcelona. What started as an opportunity to specialise in Salesforce recruitment became the chance to return home, help build our North American business and ultimately lead IT Contracts & Managed Services globally. My journey has shown me that staying curious and being willing to step beyond what feels familiar can turn one opportunity into a truly international career."

Carlos Leon Sales Consultant, Americas

"After completing my BBA at Wilfrid Laurier University, I was looking for a career that combined business, relationship building, and the opportunity to be rewarded for the effort I put in. That's what led me to Montreal Associates. What surprised me most about the staffing industry was how strategic and consultative it is; you're not just filling roles, you're helping businesses solve critical challenges while creating meaningful career opportunities for people. Since joining MA, I've had the chance to build my own market, work with global clients across a range of industries, and develop both professionally and personally. If you're a student looking for a fast-paced career with real responsibility, continuous learning, and unlimited growth potential, the staffing industry is definitely worth considering."

Joaquin Salas Winternship to Marketing Data Analyst

"I enjoyed finding patterns in large amounts of data and building something meaningful from the information available. The achievement I’m most proud of is knowing my work was used with actual clients to establish new relationships. I also became more confident using Salesforce [CRM] data, organising information and presenting it in a way that aligns with business objectives. Overall, the experience strengthened my analytical thinking, attention to detail and professional skills."

What could working with us look like?

Winternships

Build practical experience through flexible, part-time project work while continuing your studies. Your Winternship usually lasts around three months alongside your studies.

Graduate opportunities

Discover suitable roles promoted through the Laurier Navigator. Opportunities may span recruitment, sales, delivery, data, or other business functions, depending on current business needs.

Longer-term careers

Most people begin their recruitment career with MA as Delivery Recruitment Consultant. Working closely with a Sales Consultant, you learn a specialist market, identify and engage suitable candidates, and deliver relevant profiles against clients’ hiring needs. From there, you can take on greater responsibility and progress into sales or other opportunities, just as Carlos did.

Who we're looking for

We are interested in curious, commercially minded people who enjoy learning and taking ownership. You do not need to arrive knowing everything about recruitment or the technology market.

You are likely to thrive with us if you:

Ask thoughtful questions and act on feedback

Communicate clearly and build relationships naturally

Enjoy working with information, people or both

Take care over the quality of your work

Can balance independence with collaboration

Want your contribution to have a genuine business impact

Stay resilient and motivated when priorities change or results take time

Show commercial curiosity and use initiative to find solutions

Frequently asked questions

Eligibility depends on the individual opportunity. Our Laurier activity is particularly relevant to students and recent graduates interested in recruitment, sales, market research, data, and wider commercial careers. Check each listing on Laurier Navigator for its programme, study year, location and work-authorization requirements.

Winternship is a Startup Laurier programme that enables students to gain practical, remote and part-time experience during the winter term. Joaquin Salas and Simon Horning completed three-month Winternships with Montreal Associates in early 2026, contributing to live data, research and case-study projects alongside their studies.

Projects vary according to business priorities. Previous Montreal Associates Winterns have analysed recruitment and Salesforce data, researched markets and client organisations, improved CRM records, identified commercial patterns and turned evidence into client-facing case studies. You will work on defined deliverables with guidance from our team rather than simply observing from the sidelines.

Not necessarily. We are more interested in curiosity, communication, attention to detail, commercial thinking and a willingness to learn. Any essential technical knowledge or previous experience will be stated in the individual opportunity on Laurier Navigator.

A Recruitment Consultant helps organisations find specialist talent while supporting candidates through important career decisions. The role combines market research, relationship building, business development, problem-solving and negotiation. At Montreal Associates, consultants build expertise in specific technology markets and can develop increasing commercial responsibility as they progress.

It can, but it is not guaranteed. A permanent opportunity depends on individual performance, mutual fit, work eligibility, and the roles available within the business. After his early-2026 Winternship, Joaquin was offered a permanent position as a Marketing Data Analyst because his skills and contribution aligned with an ongoing business need.

You will receive a clear project focus, guidance from Montreal Associates colleagues, and feedback to help you build confidence and professional skills. Our aim is to give students meaningful responsibility while ensuring they have people to turn to when they need context or direction.

The working arrangement varies by role. The 2026 Winternships were remote and designed to fit alongside university study, while permanent opportunities may have different location and attendance requirements. Always refer to the current Laurier Navigator listing for the confirmed arrangement.

Visit Laurier Navigator and search for “Montreal Associates” to view any opportunities currently open to Laurier students or graduates. Application dates and requirements will be shown on the relevant listing.

Our vacancies depend on current business needs, so opportunities may not always be live. Check Laurier Navigator regularly and look out for Montreal Associates recruitment sessions, student communications, and campus activity.

Your next step

Where could your Laurier experience take you?

From a Winternship to a graduate role, there is more than one way to begin your journey with Montreal Associates as a WLU alumnus.

Explore open Montreal Associates opportunities today through the Laurier Navigator.

Explore the Laurier Navigator
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