Cooperative Education (Co-op) is a program that allows students to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement in the community. Students develop the essential skills and work habits required in today’s workplace under the mentorship of the employer. Each student is granted a credit based upon 110 combined hours of on-the-job learning and classroom instruction. The goal of all co-op experiences is to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership between the training supervisor, the teacher and the student.
BENEFITS
- Attract energetic, motivated and job-ready students prepared to apply the latest in technology
and ideas - WSIB coverage is provided by the Ministry of Education for unpaid learners
- Cost-effective, additional support in the workplace
- Participate in a positive community partnership
- Potential to hire students for after-school, weekend or summer work
- Opportunity to recruit and train a future employee
- Train the workforce of the future, and help keep our economy stimulated and renewed
- Influence young peoples’ attitudes toward work and school
- Students bring new ideas, fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to the workplace
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Interview students to ensure a mutually beneficial experience
- Provide students with a safe working environment
- Offer students the opportunity to learn from experts in the field
- Designate one employee for supervising and assessing student performance
- Provide students with oral and written feedback
- Provide challenging learning experiences that will encourage personal growth and help students develop career goals
- Meet with teacher over the course of placement to discuss student progress and identify areas for improvement
- Provide orientation and site-specific health and safety training
TIMELINES
September – January
- Morning ~ 12.5 hours/week
- Afternoon ~ 12.5 hours/week
- Full Day ~ 25 hours/week
February – June
- Morning ~ 12.5 hours/week
- Afternoon ~ 12.5 hours/week
- Full Day ~ 25 hours/week
Students are in-class for approximately 1-3 weeks at the beginning of each semester in preparation for the workplace, and will participate in classroom-based integration sessions throughout the placement.
INSURANCE
While at the work placement, students are covered by WSIB through the Ministry of Education provided they are not being paid at their placement. The emphasis of the program is to provide students with the ability to develop skills in a challenging learning environment. Students are awarded credits towards their diploma and benefit from the skills learned, work habits developed and experiences obtained.
NEXT STEPS
All of our high schools are actively seeking new opportunities to partner with the business community for student co-op placements. Contact the Cooperative Education Department at your local high school to get more information, develop a placement description, and become connected with today’s emerging talent.
For more information, please visit www.scdsb.on.ca.
