Co-operative Education
A Co-operative Education Program is one that formally integrates a student’s academic studies with work experience (MTCU, 2007). Work terms typically occur outside of academic terms and are full-time. There are two models of co-operative education (CEWIL Canada, 2020):
- Co-op Alternating: The usual plan for co-op is an alternating model in which the student alternates periods of experience in career-related fields (work terms) with academic terms (in-class semesters).
- Co-op Internship: Co-op internship consists of several co-op work terms back-to-back (e.g., some of Centennial’s SETAS programs include a Professional Technology Year (PTY) where students complete three consecutive co-op work terms at the end of their program).
- At Centennial, a co-op internship model may provide only one co-op work term (one semester) to a student (e.g., Graduate Certificate programs in The Business School with one-semester optional co-op work term). The number of required work terms varies by program.
Both models should be implemented according to the following criteria (MTCU, 2007):
- Each work situation is approved by the college as a suitable learning situation.
- The student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing.
- The student receives remuneration for the work performed.
- The student’s progress on the job is monitored by the college.
- The student’s performance on the job is supervised and evaluated by the student’s employer.
- The time spent in periods of work experience must be at least 30 percent of the time spent in academic study.
Co-op may be optional for completion of the program but must be made available to all students in the program in order to be reported to the Ministry as EL. The activity cannot be reported as EL if only a limited number of students can participate.
Co-op does not receive operating grant funding. Students pay a co-op administration fee.
