Overview of Co-op Process

1. Part A Co-op Prep Course. 
All co-op students must successfully pass the non-credit, mandatory course "Co-op Preparation Course." You can find and self-enrol in this course from MyCourseLink. There are no tuition fees associated with the course. A series of asynchronous modules, students who complete this course will understand how to identify and articulate their transferable and technical skills, know foundational elements of resume and cover-letter writing, and have an essential understanding of their rights and obligations as a participant in co-operative education. 

1. Part B Check Your Eligibility.
Not every student is eligible for co-op. Check the eligibility requirements for your program as listed in the Academic Calendar. Or check the Co-op Eligibility Guide and Work Term Sequence Chart. The academic calendar, co-op eligibility guide, and work term sequence chart documents will help you keep track of program timelines and structures. Co-op is available at specific times in a program - and co-op students must follow deadlines and the set schedule in order to be successful.

2. Application/Intent Process. 
Depending on when your program has co-op, you will have a specific window in which you can express your intent to proceed to a co-op work term by completing the co-op application process in MySuccess.Lakeheadu.ca.

Co-op Work Term Application Deadlines are as follows:

Winter Work Term: Opens August 1 - Closes September 30

Summer Work Term: Opens October 1 - Closes October 31

Fall Work Term: Opens April 2 - Closes April 30

If you miss your application window, you may not be able to do co-op. To express your intent, log into mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca, and select the Co-op option from the left blue banner. From there, Click on "MyExperiences" and select your program from the list. Clicking "Apply" will take you to an experiences page, where you will see the steps you must take for your work term.
Step 1 will ask you when you competed the Co-op Educaiton Prep Course.
Step 2 will require a resume and cover letter.
Step 3 is the Co-op Work Term Application form.

All eligible applicants who complete Steps 1-3 by the deadline will be charged a non-refundable $30 application fee to their account after the application deadline has passed. All late applications will be charged an additional $50 late fee, for a total of an $80 application fee. Late applications are considered at the discretion of the Co-op Coordinator and Faculty Advisor. Additional detailed information about the Co-op Work Term Application process can be found here: How to Apply to Co-op.

Requests to proceed to co-op are reviewed once the application window has closed. All applications will then be reviewed by the Co-op Office and depending by the program and the applicant, may also reqquire review by program Faculty Advisors. When a decision has been made about the application, students will be notified by email.

Step One (Job Searching) - Once the student have completed the co-op prep course and have been approved to do co-op, you may officially begin job searching. Lakehead University co-operative education follows a "supported independent job search model." One of the goals of this model is for students to develop essential job searching, networking, and interview skills. All co-op students are responsible for finding their own positions, with assistance from the Co-op Office including: 

• Access to the Co-op Job Bank on mysuccess.lakeheadu.ca

• Direct email with tips and job opportunities 

• One on one appointments to help refine job search strategy, resume, and interview techniques

• Events to support networking and connection with local employers

• Career Zone programming to help build essential employability skills.

Determining if a Job can be used for co-op, and Accepting an offer. 
It is important to note that all co-op jobs must be approved to ensure they meet co-op learning outcomes. Before accepting a job offer, students must complete the work term request form in MySuccess.Lakeheadu.ca, and notify their co-op advisor via email about the offer. Once approved, students may accept the offer.

Step Two (Work Term Registration) - Once a student accepts an approved co-op position, the Co-op Office will work with Student Central to register the student for their work term. The co-op office will confirm details with the employer to ensure they are ready to support the co-operative education experience. A copy of the employment contract must be provided to the co-op advisor in order to be registered for a work term. 

Step Three (Paying Co-op Fee) - Once your Work Term Request form is processed, and the student is registered for a work term, they will be required to pay the Co-op Participation Fee. Students should check their student account daily after registration to pay the participation fee. For more details about the Co-op Participation Fee, visit the Schedule of Fees Services webpage HERE.

Step One (Initial weeks and Confirmation of Employment) - Once you have begun a co-op work term, if any details about your opportunity differ from what is listed on the work term request form, students must submit a Confirmation of Employment form. This must be returned  to the Co-op Officer, as it details important information about the employment, provides hiring manager and student contact details, etc. In these initial weeks it is also important for the co-op student to discuss their learning goals with their employer, and begin taking notes about their work experiences that they can reference later when writing their co-op report.

Step Two (Monitor Appointment) - During each 4-month work term, all employed students are required to touch base formally with the university and their employer, with either a co-op monitor appointment, or a co-op monitor survey. The co-op monitor appointment is a virtual meeting in which the student, employer, and a member of the co-op office will discuss the student's progress. For the first work term with the same employer, the monitor step must be accomplished via a virtual meeting. For second and later work terms with the same employer, the student and employer may elect to complete the monitor stage either via a meeting, or by completing a survey that is then submitted to the co-op office. 

Step Three (Report and Evaluation) - In order to receive a pass/fail grade for a co-op work term, all employed students are required to submit a work term report and an employer evaluation. The number of reports and evaluations for submission depends on the program. Faculty advisors will review and evaluate all reports and evaluations.

Step Four (Co-op Grade and Designation) - Once your faculty advisor has marked your report and evaluation, they will issue a pass or fail grade to the assigned work term. Once a student has completed and passed all the required work terms for their program designation, they will receive the co-op designation on their degree upon graduation. 

Stage Five (Co-op Feedback Survey) - Once you complete your last work term and exit the co-op program, you will be sent the co-op program feedback survey. We will send a co-op program feedback survey within a month of completing your last term, this gives you a chance to provide feedback about your co-op experience. This will be anonymous, unless you wish for us to contact you to get more details (we ask this on the survey).