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Leading
WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING
in Canada
CEWIL Resource Hub: Co-operative Education at the University of Waterloo
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Pedagogy
Experience
Assessment
Reflection
Co-op students complete a series of mandatory professional development courses, both to prepare for their first work term as well as to maximize their learning during their work terms.
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Key success factors
The co-op program is centrally operated by a large team with stakeholder-specific roles to support students, employers and faculties.
Co-op is uniquely important to the University of Waterloo's brand and identity, which makes it a focal point of the institution's operations.
The university's Centre for Career Action is deeply embedded in the co-op program and plays an integral role in the preparation and support of co-op and WIL students across campus.
Unique characteristics
The co-op program offers a centralized model of support, including a centralized job board that all students access.
The program also features a suite of mandatory professional development courses that students complete during their work terms to enhance their skills and improve their employability.
Waterloo operates the world’s only dedicated research institute focusing on co-operative education and WIL.
Challenges
The program continues to enjoy rapid growth — roughly 5% per year over the last five years — and is the subject of intense demand from both students and faculties, which can make it difficult to keep pace in an operational sense.
The program supports over 5,000 first work term students each year, which entails preparing students with a wide variety of skills and experiences for the workplace.
Helping students to integrate their co-op workplace learning with their academic programs can be challenging.
Resources
Co-operative Education at the University of Waterloo
Co-operative Education
Annual Report
Centre for Career Action
WatPD
(Waterloo Professional Development)
WatCACE
(Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education)
Information for future students
Visiting
delegation request form for Co-operative and Experiential Education
Key characteristics
Type: Co-operative Education
Year program was established: 1957
Number of students per year: 21,000
Number of employers/partners per year: 3,000
Programs/academic disciplines participating: All programs
Duration of experience: Typically 4 months, full time
Submitted by:
Ross Johnston
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