About Co–op & Internships
Initiated in 1986, Camosun College’s Co–operative Education program is one of the most successful college Co–op programs in the BC/Yukon region because it capitalizes on our applied academic programming which is geared to meeting industry needs.
Students are expected to apply the skills developed during the work place education preparation seminar and actively seek to self develop a work term with coaching from the co-op staff. Participating co-op and internship students will also have access to the Co-op job board which includes postings from a broad range of industry and public sectors. Co-op staff are active all year in prospecting these postings and many employers are frequent users of the job board. However, please note that availability of positions may vary dependent on the current economic situation or the employers’ workplace needs and these posted positions may not be exclusive to the college.
Benefits
Local, national and international statistics consistently report that students who participate in co–operative education are significantly more satisfied with their overall education. In today's environment where attitude is increasingly recognized as a critical factor, hiring a co–op or internship student makes sense.
Employers typically report that participating in cooperative education:
- reduces the cost of recruitment and training
- provides a low risk way to preview future employees
- generates fresh ideas
- provides extra hands to cover for absences or special projects, and
- an opportunity to build closer relations with the college and influence program content.
The research also shows that students who participate in cooperative education will:
- find work sooner after graduation than their peers, and
- earn more than their non cooperative education classmates
How it Works
The work term is a credited course for the student, with learning outcomes that build on the individual academic program. Each student is assigned a faculty Field Instructor who monitors the work term and is in occasional contact with the student and the work place supervisor.
While the student is in the workplace, s/he acts as a regular or project employee of the organization, reporting to the pertinent supervisor as is normal for that company.
The student will also be completing assignments for the Field Instructor to demonstrate integration of academic and workplace learning. The workplace supervisor is asked to complete an evaluation of the student at the end of the work term.
Students participating in co–operative education must first complete COOP WEP.
Tuition Fees
Traditionally, co–operative education is an additional expense for a student since tuition is charged for the work term course, and in some cases it can lengthen the time to graduation as well. Both co–op and internships are recognized on a student’s credential and transcript.
As a result of this additional commitment by students, competitive market wage or salary compensation is normally expected, although exceptions may be considered in some cases.
The difference between Co–op and Internship
Both co–op and internship work terms are types of Co–operative Education; however, there is a considerable variance in the way people use or understand these terms. Here is a snapshot of how these terms are used at Camosun:
| Condition | Co–op | Internship |
|---|---|---|
| Work terms may be unpaid | No* | Yes |
| Multi work terms required | Yes | No |
| Work terms can occur at end of student’s academic program but before formal graduation | No* | Yes |
| Student must return to school after a work term | Yes* | No |
| Work term must apply academic learning | Yes | Yes |
| Recognized as credited course | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum of 250 hours sufficient | No | Yes |
| COOP WEP or equivalent as prerequisite | Yes | Yes |
| Work term monitored by faculty | Yes | Yes |
| Employer feedback on student performance | Yes | Yes |
| Assignments tied to learning outcomes & assessed by faculty | Yes | Yes |
| Normal tuition fee policy applies | Yes | Yes |
* Exceptions may be formally granted by the CESE Exceptions Committee depending on individual and unusual circumstances.
Because of the flexibility in Co–operative Education, it is now possible that almost any program at Camosun College can offer Internships to its students. If the Co–op Programs listed are not what you’re looking for, please contact us as we may have further options available.