What is Co-operative Education?

Co-operative education (co-op) is a model of education that formally integrates a student’s academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to the student’s academic and personal goals.  Co-op provides students with structured work experiences with approved employers that promote career exploration, expand employer contacts and apply in-class teachings to real-work situations.

Co-op alternates periods of work experience (work terms) in career-related fields with times of academic study (semesters) according to the following criteria:

• Each work experience is approved by the college as a suitable learning environment.
• The co-op student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing.
• The co-op student receives remuneration for the work performed.
• The co-op student's progress on the job is monitored by the college. The work term is acknowledged on the student’s academic transcript.
• The co-op student's performance on the job is supervised and assessed by the student's employer.
• The time spent in periods of work experience must be at least 30 per cent of the time spent in academic study and no more than 75 per cent.
• The co-op experience is paid by the employer for 12 to 14 weeks.

Which programs offer co-op?

Program descriptions are available by visiting https://durhamcollege.ca/programs/co-op.

Becoming a co-op student:

Students interested in transferring to the co-op option of their program must meet the following requirements:

• A minimum semester grade point average (SGPA). This varies by program and co-op students must also maintain their SGPA requirements each semester to remain eligible for co-op.
• All program course credits are successfully completed and on-cycle with their Program of Study.
• Possess an academic progression status of “Good Standing” and have no “HOLDS” on college accounts.
• Complete the Introduction to Co-op course on DC Connect
• Submit a Transfer to Co-op form to the Co-op office by the advertised due date within the first academic year of your program.

Preparing for the work term

The Co-op and Career Preparation credit course (COOP 1000) is a prerequisite to participating in the first work term and helps students prepare and plan successfully for the job search and subsequent work term(s). The purpose of this course is for students to enhance their career planning skills and apply these skills to secure and effectively prepare for their co-op work term. Self-marketing techniques such as developing cover letters and resumes, searching for jobs, professionally using social media, researching and networking, and interviewing will be developed and practiced.

How does an employer hire a co-op student?

Step 1: Approved employers post their positions on the Hired Portal at https://hired.durhamcollege.ca

Employers contact the Co-op office to post their positions on the Hired portal. Co-op students will be granted special access to the co-op postings specific to their program; hence, it is crucial to check the portal on a daily basis while in the job search phase.

Step 2: Employers review applications

Students will submit their applications in the Hired portal. Employers will indicate what the applications should of consist of, which may include cover letters, resumes, grade reports or all of the above. The employer will then determine which student(s) they want to invite for an interview.

Step 3: Employers interview candidates

• Once an employer has screened and selected the candidates, there are two ways in which interviews can be conducted.
  • The employer may reach out directly to co-op students to schedule interviews.
  • The employer may contact the Co-op office to help schedule interviews. Once the interview schedule has been confirmed, the Co-op office will contact students with the details.

In any case, students must be prepared to respond to interview offers via phone or email.

Step 4: Employers make offers

• Once an employer has selected the student(s) they would like to hire, there are two ways an offer can be made:
  • The employer may reach out to the successful student and make the offer.
  • The employer may contact the Co-op office to extend the offer to the student.

Students must monitor phone and email to learn of their offers.

Step 5: Finalize

• Once an offer of employment has been accepted by a student, the student must present their employer with a Work Term Agreement form. This form is signed by the student, the employer, and the college. It will be kept on file in the Co-op office.

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