Great program to hire extremely short term talent.

Advance Ontario is an outstanding initiative that bridges the gap between emerging talent and real-world industry needs. Through this program, I had the opportunity to work with two exceptional students whose contributions made a lasting impact on our AI project. This program is a win-win for both employers and students. Highly recommended!

Had an amazing outcome for my project when joining this experience.

Advance Ontario is an excellent program that provides both students and employers alike an incredibly valuable opportunity. I wish the timelines were more flexible but it is definitely worth exploring nonetheless!

The application process through Riipen was seamless and intuitive. From start to finish I found the steps clear and straightforward, and I was able to submit all required information without any hurdles. Whenever I had questions or needed assistance, the support team responded promptly and provided helpful guidance. Overall, this experience was highly efficient and user friendly, and I feel confident recommending Riipen’s services to other organizations looking to engage with Advance Ontario.

Riipen's Advance Ontario portal has connected us with invaluable talent to facilitate research and data analysis which we otherwise would not have the capacity to manage as a non-profit with a limit and pre-dedicated budget. We work with student to create affordable housing solutions for students; Riipen's made the research and evidence-based component of that work possible.

I am still trying to navigate the website to make sure everything is completed. The original person who get me set up on Riipen was very helpful and I am thankful I received the email

Amazing experience!

Amazing experience! Highly recommended and so glad to have participated.

Great portal. Hope to see more projects and students available.

Was great to connect with this experience as it allowed me to connect with talented and goal-seeking individuals!

The Advance Ontario team delivered an excellent experience as always.

We did not really work with an admin for this project. Would love to have more contact with one and know who to reach out to. Although it felt like the project went smoothly on its own and providing these types of experiences to students is amazing!

The students we worked with were very energetic, enthusiastic, professional & great to work with. Setting up the program was more complicated than necessary having a available chat service or live agent would help.

Advance Ontario made it possible for our organization to bring on talented, motivated students who made a meaningful impact. We were able to grow our capacity, streamline our operations, and deliver more value to our community—all without the financial barrier of traditional hiring. The program is a fantastic opportunity for small organizations to access support while giving students real-world experience.

Students we worked with did not have any work ethics, bare minimum common sense. We would not participate in this again - would rather do hiring ourselves.

This was a great cohort with even greater participants.

We had really great participants this cohort that were able to provide much support to our team.

This was a great experience! The students I had working on my project were great and this program has been a huge benefit for my business.

It was a pleasure working with the April cohort

We had a fantastic experience working with this student team through Advance Ontario. They brought a great mix of enthusiasm, initiative, and technical ability to the table. From system discovery to final delivery, they carried themselves with professionalism and delivered a high-quality outcome. A great example of what experiential learning can look like when done right.

A wonderful experience. Very well organized and easy to work with.

Such a rich program that helps both employers and students in one place

Fantastic program with great talent! :)

I'm really enjoying this program. It brings me great talent and active students who are open and willing to try. That is really all i can ask for from an intern and appreciate their ability to be optimistic as well as disciplined on the projects we have, coupled with their own school work.

It's been great to work with Advance Ontario as it gives students a real opportunity to work in mental health that they otherwise would not get.

The process and student matching was straight-forward and very successful

Collaborating with the administrators of Advance Ontario was a smooth and constructive experience. Communication was clear, timely, and supportive throughout the project lifecycle. From onboarding to final deliverables, the team provided the structure and flexibility to ensure student engagement aligned with our brand’s goals. We appreciated the balance between autonomy and guidance; students were encouraged to take initiative, while the administrative team remained accessible for coordination, feedback loops, and resolving logistical questions efficiently. Their understanding of academic and industry expectations made this partnership particularly valuable for a mission-driven business like MINOA. The administrators showed genuine commitment to student growth and client impact, directly contributing to a successful collaboration. We look forward to future opportunities to work together.

ABEN HUB is proud to have partnered with talented student interns through the Advance Ontario program. This initiative provided us with a unique opportunity to collaborate with emerging professionals who contributed to our ongoing work in sustainable energy and AI-driven solar analytics. The program’s structure and support made it easy to engage with students and align their academic knowledge with real-world applications. Our interns brought enthusiasm, fresh thinking, and technical skills that added tangible value to our projects. We commend Advance Ontario for building bridges between academia and industry, and for empowering Ontario-based startups to grow through meaningful talent partnerships. It’s initiatives like this that help foster innovation and create a stronger, more sustainable future for all.

Great work