How Co-op Students Change the Game for Employers
Posted on Tuesday, June 13th, 2017
You probably already know that hiring a co-op student comes with a bunch of benefits that can have a positive influence on your organization (not least of which is a $3,000 tax credit from the Ontario government).
But did you know that bringing on an Algonquin College co-op student can be a complete game changer, especially for small to midsize businesses?
Below, we look at three key ways that Algonquin co-op students bring huge advantages to their co-op employers.
A Ton of Flexibility
You’re a small business, and everyone on your team has specific tasks and areas of expertise. You’re busy, and all your staff is working hard. This is awesome, but it can mean that certain projects fall to the wayside.
This is where a co-op student from Algonquin College can really help out. Whether it’s projects you’ve been meaning to get to, or temporary employee leave, co-op students can fill the gaps in your staffing needs.
Co-op students are also an awesome way to test a new position at your organization, to see if it’s something that’s necessary long-term. Without co-op students, this could be a costly and risky thing to do.
With work terms that are typically 4 months long, a co-op placement is just the right amount of time to knock some outstanding items off your to-do list or test that new position out.
Access to a Whole New Talent Pool
When you’re a small business, you want to make sure that every new hire fits in perfectly with your existing team.
Co-op is a risk-free way of finding someone who is just right. Once you submit a job posting to Algonquin College, you are under no obligation to hire a student. If a student doesn’t work out, you can part ways without a penalty.
Even better, hiring co-op students from Algonquin College keeps you right on the forefront of the top talent entering your industry. Many of our students are hired on as permanent staff at their co-op employer’s business, meaning that a big portion of the best candidates in your field never even hit the job market.
By getting involved with co-op, you get a direct line to the best new hires hitting the workforce.
A Co-op Office That’s Here to Help
The Algonquin College Cooperative Education Department will be with you every step of the way through the process of working with co-op students. From pre-screening candidates, to posting your job on our internal job board, to providing rooms on-campus for interviews, to conducting site visits throughout the term, our team of co-op consultants is here to make sure you have all the support you need.
We make the process as easy as possible for you. To get started with Algonquin College Co-op, all you need to do is send us a job posting—you can even do it online. Don’t miss out on this great resource for your organization.
Questions for us? Give us a call at 613-727-4723 Ext 7623 or email us at coop@algonquincollege.com. You can also follow our Twitter at @AlgonquinCoop.