Our program was set up to change a 4-year college experience into a 5-year experience, by alternating school and work terms begining in a student’s junior year. This gave students an opportunity to have real full-time work experience for a minimum of 3 semesters (possibly 4, depending on the starting term).

Applying for these co-op jobs was much like applying for a “real” job after graduation, there were resume forms to fill out, inquirey letters to send, and on-campus live interviews to further convince your future employer. The program has a long history, and a lot of employers fish in this new talent pool on a regular basis, all positions were paid, and many students were offered full-time employment following a sucessful co-op.

The students benefit by obtaining real work experience, in my case it was surveying and construction inspection, and by applying lessons learned to their school work during the classroom semesters. The employers benefit by hiring these (comparatively) cheap workers that are not only computer savvy and quick to learn, but that may prove to be worthwhile investments in future permanent employment. If for some reason the employers think they’ve made a bad choice, the risk of keeping someone for a year’s worth of work is minimal, there are no obligations to extend permanent job offers at the conclusion of the final co-op term. The schools benefit from organizing the co-op placement because such a healthy program actually attracts students.

In my opinion there are few, if any, downfalls to the system. It’s true that some people don’t like their co-op jobs, but I hardly think that’s different than permanent employment in general. And yes, it took me an extra year to graduate, and the tuition the last year was higher than the others. But I didn’t have to pay tuition the terms I worked, and I had to do a little coordination to ensure my scholarship moneys would apply correctly to my school terms. I have never regretted that choice; the investement in optimizing my employment candidacy was well worth the wait.