WACAC 2014 ConferenceSan 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.)

Spring Semester(Jan. to Apr.)

Summer Session I(May to June)

Summer Session II (Jul. to Aug.)

Year 1CLASS CLASS VACATION VACATION

Year 2CLASS CO-OP CO-OP CLASS

Year 3CLASS CO-OP CO-OP CLASS

Year 4CLASS CO-OP CO-OP VACATION

Year 5CLASS CLASS

Sample 4 year co-op schedule

Fall Semester(Sept. to Dec.)

Spring Semester(Jan. to Apr.)

Summer Session I(May to June)

Summer Session II (Jul. to Aug.)

Year 1CLASS CLASS CLASS VACATION

Year 2CLASS CO-OP CO-OP CLASS

Year 3CLASS CO-OP CO-OP CLASS

Year 4CLASS 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)

Common threads through all courses: Critical Reflection, Professionalism, Technology,

Continuous Learning, Diversity, Ethics, Collaboration

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

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*

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. Mohammed, Ghana

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. 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-opNORTHEASTERN: 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

s.ranslow@neu.edu

tmunro@uwaterloo.ca