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OpenRoster lists events and programs that help computer science students meet employers, build things and find their first roles. Everything is free to browse, and every listing links to the organizer's own page.

Using the site

The list puts the nearest application deadline first, because that is what you are most likely to miss. Pick what you want to do (attend, volunteer, mentor, judge) and a type, or open More filters to narrow by school, distance, date, eligibility or who an event is for. Tick "Only show what is open for applications now" when you want something you can apply to today.

Filters live in the page address, so you can bookmark a view or send it to a friend. Every view has a calendar link. Subscribe to it in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook and new events appear on their own, along with an "Apply by" reminder the day before each deadline. There is also an RSS feed for each view and a weekly digest.

Each listing shows when we last checked it. Dates sometimes change, so confirm on the organizer's page before you plan around one.

What each type is

Hackathon: A weekend (sometimes a day) where you build a project in a small team. Most student hackathons are free, have food, and welcome people who have never been to one. Some cover travel.
Info session: A company presents its teams and student roles, then takes questions. Recruiters often attend, so it is a good place to ask how their hiring works and to get a name to follow up with.
Tech talk: A talk, panel or seminar on a technical or career topic. Low pressure and good for learning what a field is like.
Career fair: Many employers at tables in one place. Bring a short introduction and a resume, and research a few companies first.
Networking: Mixers and meetups where students, alumni and people working in tech talk informally.
Workshop: A hands-on session: resume reviews, interview practice, or learning a tool or language.
Conference: A day or more of talks and workshops. Student conferences such as CUTC and CUSEC often look for volunteers.
Case competition: Teams solve a business or technical problem and present to judges. Some are aimed at first- and second-year students.
Early-career program: Insight days, fellowships, externships and programs for first- and second-year students. They often lead to internship interviews later. See the programs directory.

Getting ready

Before an info session or career fair

Read the company's student careers page and pick one team you are curious about.
Prepare one or two questions you could not answer from their website, such as how interns are matched to teams.
Have a one-page resume ready as a PDF. Your school's career centre will review it for free.
Afterwards, send a short thank-you note to anyone you spoke with, and mention something from the conversation.

Your first hackathon

You do not need a team or an idea beforehand. Most hackathons run team-forming at the start.
Apply early. Popular events fill up, and some accept people in waves.
Aim for a small project that works. A clear demo of one feature beats an unfinished big idea.
Put the project on GitHub with a short README. It gives you something concrete to talk about in interviews.

Applying to programs

Many programs ask short-answer questions. Draft them in a document first and keep them for the next application.
Check eligibility carefully: year of study, program, and sometimes citizenship or school.
Use the calendar feed so deadlines do not slip past you.

When things happen

Timing varies by company and school, but some patterns repeat each year in Canada. Large tech companies and banks often open the next summer's internships in late summer and fall, and run most campus info sessions from September to November. Programs for first- and second-year students frequently open in the fall and winter. Student hackathons run all year, with many between September and March. Co-op students should also follow their school's own job board, which OpenRoster cannot see because it needs a login.

Volunteering, mentoring and judging

Hackathons and conferences need volunteers to run check-in, food and logistics, and they usually say so on their own sites weeks before the event. Volunteering is free, you meet the organizers and sponsors, and some events let volunteers attend talks. Once you have built a few projects, mentoring means helping teams debug during the event. Judging is usually for people with more experience. Choose "volunteer", "mentor" or "judge" under "I want to" to see open calls.

Missing something?

If you know about an event, a club calendar or a program we do not list, add it. It takes a couple of minutes and helps the next person find it.