Scaling experiential learning: Dana and Dave’s insights from the Work Forces podcast.

In a recent appearance on the Work Forces podcast, Riipen Co-Founders Dana Stephenson and Dave Savory share their insights on the future of experiential learning. Work Forces aims to close the skills gaps for learners, making their podcast the perfect place for Dana and Dave to discuss the critical role work-integrated learning plays in bridging the gap between education and employment.

This issue is pressing, with students increasingly struggling to find job-ready opportunities after graduation. The need for scalable, experiential learning solutions has never been more critical. 

Key takeaways. 

• Work-integrated learning bridges the education-employment gap: Riipen Co-Founders Dana and Dave discuss how experiential learning helps students transition into the workforce.
• Scaling experiential learning at institutions: Dana and Dave share insights on how flexible, project-based experiences, such as virtual internships or short-term consulting projects, can expand at universities.
• The evolution of experiential learning models: Dana and Dave discuss the shift from limited co-ops to more accessible, impactful learning experiences.
• Experiential learning should be part of every academic experience: Dana highlights the need for diverse, work-based learning opportunities across all education pathways.

The origins of Riipen.  

Hosts Julian Alssid and Kaitlin LeMoine began the conversation by diving into Riipen's origin story. Initiated in 2010, when Dana and Dave met during their business school orientation at the University of Victoria in Canada, the two were inspired by a project-based course that allowed students to work on real business challenges rather than analyzing textbook cases. This hands-on experience sparked their idea to create a platform connecting students with employers, enabling students to gain practical experience and build portfolios to help them transition into the workforce.

“We actually met in 2010 very serendipitously. We were in an orientation of our business school program at the University of Victoria, we randomly sat next to each other and instantly had a lot of mutual values and alignments.” – Dave Savory.

Dana and Dave recognized the value of co-op placements in providing students with real-world experience. However, they saw a significant supply-and-demand issue, with over 2 million students nationwide, but only 200,000 had access to these programs. They realized there had to be a more flexible solution to support students throughout their educational journey.

Recognizing the gap in access to internships and co-op placements, Dana and Dave envisioned a practical solution. They saw a way to provide more students with meaningful learning opportunities, bridging the gap between education and employment. 

And so, the idea for Riipen was born.

The evolution of experiential learning. 

Dana and Dave took what they learned from school and applied it to the core story of Riipen, thus creating a pathway for learners to gain relevant work experience through an experiential landscape. And that idea has only grown, as Dana and Dave highlight how the landscape of experiential learning has evolved from traditional co-op programs to a more comprehensive, flexible model that allows students to gain real-world experience through shorter, more accessible opportunities.

Institutions and employers are adapting to this shift, demonstrating their flexibility and foresight. They see the benefits of having engaged learners eager to gain experience that prepares them for full-time employment.

“We don't do traditional internships. We don't do traditional Co-op programs…[We focus] on career-relevant skills as part of [our] projects and solving a real business challenge in your community or around the world.” — Dana Stephenson

Dana and Dave emphasize the importance of supporting diverse talent, offering tailored learning experiences, and ensuring students from all backgrounds can access career opportunities. Through their partnership with institutions and organizations, Riipen is helping to create a more inclusive talent pipeline.

Their conversation also examined emerging trends, such as the rise of dedicated experiential learning roles within universities and the development of regional learning ecosystems. Dana and Dave are passionate about fostering these trends and helping institutions scale experiential learning to ensure all students have the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.

For Dana, experiential learning is about much more than just internships. It’s about creating an ecosystem that allows students to learn by doing rather than watching. This idea has given experiential learning the power to impact career readiness, employer engagement, and workforce innovation.

“We really are a marketplace. We attract employers who want a wider variety and a wider spectrum of things they can do to engage students. We have our own channel partners with business associations, chambers, and all sorts of organizations, where we have a one-to-many approach to reach employers. And then, of course, we do our own outreach. We provide a platform that makes it easy for companies to come on and start to input all their ideas, challenges, and goals. Then, it starts to pump out a whole bunch of different project ideas they can put into our ecosystem and make those available to our academic institutions.” – Dana Stephenson.  

Dana and Dave wrapped up the episode with some advice for educators, employers, and policymakers who want to drive the future of experiential learning. They suggested that aligning education with industry needs can create a more skilled, diverse, and ready workforce.

By making work-integrated learning an integral part of education, Riipen has redefined what it means to be prepared for the workforce.

Listen to the full podcast interview on Work Forces now: https://www.workforces.info/podcast/episode/37547587/dana-stephenson-and-dave-savory-scaling-experiential-learning

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