Cooperative Education is a partnership between students and companies where employers provide students the opportunity to convert classroom skills and knowledge into valuable, paid experience related to their major that profits the participating companies.
Benefits
As a partner in the Co-Op program your company can reduce recruiting and training costs, ensure a supply of new talent and ideas, and evaluate potential employees by on-the-job performance. Participation in the Co-Op program can enhance your companies image on campus and in the community and help the university improve its professional training through your feedback. In addition to these benefits, partnership with our office will give your company access to a large and diverse pool of talented personnel.
Schedule Options
The Co-Op program offers two different scheduling options.
Alternate Schedule
With this option,students alternate semesters of full-time classes with semesters of full-time work. The work periods coincide with the university's semesters which are approximately 13 weeks long. Longer work periods may be arranged. Your company may engage two or more students on alternating semesters to achieve year round coverage.
Parallel Schedule
With this option students work on a part-time basis while attending classes. Usually students work 15-20 hours per week. Students who choose this option are required to take a minimum of 6 hours of classes per semester. This option is only available if your company is geographically close to the campus.
How it Works
Your company selects a position for Co-Op placement and notifies our office after determining the specifications including the length of the work period, salary, and qualifications. Our staff then recruits and screens students and then refers qualified students to your company for interviews. Your company selects the employee you wish to hire and provides the student an orientation that describes the training plan and job description. A copy of the training plan and job description is filed with our office. At the end of each semester your company files an evaluation form (provided by us) that allows you another opportunity for feedback.
