Co-operative Education in Canada and the US

January 5, 2018 | Author: Anonymous | Category: Arts & Humanities, Communications
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WACAC 2014 Conference San Jose June 11, 2014

Co-operative Education in Canada & the United States Stephanie Ranslow, Northeastern University Tony Munro, University of Waterloo

Outline 

Experiential learning

co-operative education



Co-operative education vs. internships



Basics of co-operative education



How it works?



Benefits of co-operative education to academic institution



Benefits of co-operative education to students

Why experiential education is important 

Growing focus on ‘outcomes’ in education  

Accountability Education as an investment



Establish connection between academic learning and work application



Learning by doing



Unfamiliar situations = new learning



Informed career decision-making

Co-op vs. Internships 

Co-op  



clearly defined, full-time positions away from the classroom, with specific learning outcomes the experience integrated into the curriculum.

Internships   

 

often Ill-defined, unpaid, part-time may be during academic semester may or may not be related to major or interest lack of integration into the academic experience usually no longer than three months

Co-op basics 

Employment integrated into the academics   

  



Multiple work terms Test career options Head start on the job market

Exploration/preparation prior + Reflection/integration after Students need to be responsible for decision making (competitive process) with significant resources to help them Opportunity to establish contacts and develop your professional network Graduates are ‘work-place ready’

History and evolution of co-op at Northeastern 1909 Earn to Learn 

Combine work with school in order to pay the bills



Co-op program begins with just eight students working for four Boston employers

1980’s National Growth 

37 States Across the Country



Concentrations in: New York City, Washington D.C., and the West Coast, including San Diego and Silicon Valley

1980’s International Co-ops offered 

“Handful” of students participate

Now 

7200 Students participate yearly in Co-op



300 Students participate yearly in International Co-op

Co-operative Education structure Preparation 

    

Complete mandatory Co-op Prep course Participate in advising sessions with Co-op Faculty Coordinator Navigate Employer Database Search, sort, and select co-op positions based on major, interests, skills Build preference list of positions and submit job preferences to co-op coordinators Track placement process, interview, accept position

Calendar  

Consists of alternating periods of academic study with periods of substantive full-time employment Promotes integrated learning and application of concepts

Sample 5 year co-op schedule Fall Semester (Sept. to Dec.) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Spring Semester (Jan. to Apr.)

Summer Session I (May to June)

Summer Session II (Jul. to Aug.)

CLASS

CLASS

VACATION

VACATION

CLASS

CO-OP

CO-OP

CLASS

CLASS

CO-OP

CO-OP

CLASS

CLASS

CO-OP

CO-OP

VACATION

CLASS

CLASS

Sample 4 year co-op schedule Fall Semester (Sept. to Dec.) Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

Spring Semester (Jan. to Apr.)

Summer Session I (May to June)

Summer Session II (Jul. to Aug.)

CLASS

CLASS

CLASS

VACATION

CLASS

CO-OP

CO-OP

CLASS

CLASS

CO-OP

CO-OP

CLASS

CLASS

CLASS

Sample employers

Co-operative education at Waterloo  

5 or 6 four-month work terms completed in alternating sequence with academic terms Centrally administered through Co-operative Education and Career Action department (125+ staff)  

   





Job development Online recruitment process On-campus interviews Career development workshops Student Advising on campus and on work term Employer relationship management

WatPD: online professional development program focused on enhancing connection between the workplace, the academic courses and eventual career path Geographically distributed staff maintain local contacts

Integration of work experience and academic learning at Waterloo 

Work term performance evaluation



WatPD courses (4 course requirement)



Co-op Fundamentals*

Critical Reflection and Report Writing*

Communication

Teamwork

Project Management

Problem Solving

Conflict Resolution

Intercultural Skills

Ethical Decision Making

Professionalism and Ethics in the Workplace

Engineering Workplace Skills I: Developing Reasoned Conclusions*

Engineering Workplace Skills II: Developing Effective Plans*

Common threads through all courses: 



Critical Reflection, Professionalism, Technology, Continuous Learning, Diversity, Ethics, Collaboration

Completed online while on work terms (one course/term)

Benefits of co-op education to the university 

Enhanced reputation among employers    

   

Leaders of tomorrow Experienced graduates Entrepreneurial mindset Innovation

Attracts career-focused and motivated students Promotes research linkages & innovation Encourages relevant course content Lower debt loads among graduating students

Outcomes of co-op education for students      

Opportunity to ‘test’ potential careers Networking with potential employers and mentors Professional and personal development Informed academic & career choices Increased motivation Earnings while still in school 



Manage debt load

Enhanced employability upon graduation 

Earlier job offers & higher starting salaries

Perspectives 

Student: The connections you make with employers can help you move closer to the goals you already have, OR they can help you realize that you should rethink your career plans. 



Employer: Our co-op students are able to adapt to geographic

changes, relocation challenges, and corporate cultures. The co-op program enables GE to monitor Northeastern’s students for future employment. 



Mohammed, Ghana

Kristen Picano, GE Distribution

Northeastern: We believe in experiential learning because it

deepens a student’s knowledge and learning. The result may very well be employment or graduate school, but those do not drive our belief in the power of this educational model. The learning that happens does… 

Dr. Susan Ambrose, Senior Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education & Experiential Learning.

Career Success and Co-op NORTHEASTERN: 

Ranked #1 by Princeton Review in Career Services



On average, more than 51% of students receive a job offer from a previous co-op employer



More than 90% of our graduates are either employed or enrolled in graduate school nine months after graduation



87% of these graduates are doing work related to their major

Questions/Discussion

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