Ready to get started?
If you’ve been invited by the ACE Project Space team to participate, you’re just one step away from bringing your project to life.
Project structure.
Eligibility
To participate in Level UP, you’ll need to meet some basic requirements.
Most Canadian employers are already eligible:
✅ Registered Canadian business or non-profit organization.
❌ A member of the House of Commons or Senate of Canada.
❌ Part of an organization that engages in partisan political activities, and/or a federal, provincial, territorial or municipal government.
❌ Part of a publicly funded post-secondary institution.
You’ll also need to provide the following to participate:
Employment and Social Development Canada, ACE Project Space’s work integrated learning funder, requires identity verification for all participants. Make sure you have:
- A piece of valid government-issued photo ID
- Your company’s business number and address
- Proof of your company’s address, usually in the form of a bill or invoice
- Proof of your company’s registration at the federal or provincial level
- Need more details on ID verification? Read this article for a full breakdown.
Need help?
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ABOUT US
Riipen is enabling transformative opportunities for post-secondary institutions to collaborate with companies on real-time, real-world challenges that are embedded directly into coursework driving enhanced learner and employability outcomes.
ACE Project Space has partnered with Riipen to help bring industry projects to life while facilitating funding for participating students. Through this collaboration, employers can easily post and manage their projects on Riipen’s platform, streamlining the connection to skilled student teams and supporting seamless project tracking across each phase.
Click below to submit your project on Riipen and make it eligible for student funding.
Learn more about how the program works below.
Level UP is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning (I-WIL) Initiatives program
About our partnership with Riipen.
By posting projects on Riipen, employers benefit from a structured, user-friendly experience that includes:
- Access to a curated group of talented students from Red River College Polytechnic.
- A streamlined platform to outline project goals, track progress, and provide feedback at each stage.
- Integrated funding support, ensuring students are compensated for their work without added administrative burden on the employer.
- A clear project framework, helping employers focus on innovation and business growth while contributing to the development of future industry leaders.
Together, ACE Project Space and Riipen make it easier for businesses to access fresh talent, drive innovation, and create meaningful impact through hands-on collaboration.
Cohort schedule
To ensure a smooth and structured experience for everyone involved, ACE Project Space operates on a cohort model each academic term. Cohorts help organize project timelines, align student availability, and create consistent milestones for employers, students, and staff.
Here’s what to expect for each cohort:
Spring/Summer cohort:
Employer onboarding: Week of May 19
Student onboarding and project matching: Week of May 26
Project phase 1: June 9 – June 20
Project phase 2: June 23 – July 4
Project phase 3: July 7 – July 16
Final experience deadline: July 25*
Fall cohort:
Employer onboarding: Week of September 8
Student onboarding and project matching: Week of September 15
Project phase 1: September 22 – October 3
Project phase 2: October 6 – October 17
Project phase 3: October 20 – October 31
Final experience deadline: November 28*
Please note: Exact dates may be subject to change based on academic calendars and scheduling needs.
*All project phases must be submitted by the cohort’s final project deadline to be eligible for payment.
Projects through ACE Project Space and Riipen are designed for real-world results with a clear, easy-to-follow format:
This phased approach ensures a consistent rhythm, actionable outcomes, and a rewarding experience for both students and employers.
Academic Term: May 1 - August 8, 2025
Work-integrated projects facilitated through Riipen
Academic Term: August 25 - December 5, 2025
Work integrated projects facilitated through Riipen
Winter cohort:
Academic Term: January 5 - April 24, 2026
Work-integrated projects facilitated through Riipen
Employer onboarding: Week of January 16
Student onboarding and project matching: Week of January 19
Project phase 1: January 26 – February 6
Final project deadline: February 20*
ACE Project Space Help Centre - your resource for all things ACE Project Space from how to apply to a project to the rules of the program and how to use Riipen.
Email us at aceprojectspace@riipen.com to get in touch with the ACE Project Space team for support on using the platform or with questions about your project.
Full-term engagement with Red River College Polytechnic students.
Three structured phases on Riipen to guide progress and deliverables.
60 hours of student work per phase, each phase completed over two weeks.
$1,400 paid to students for each completed project phase.
Milestones and feedback managed seamlessly through Riipen’s platform.