Co-op Work Term

A co-op work term is designed to be a positive learning experience to enhance your education. During your co-op work term, you will be working full-time and are required to complete a series of assignments throughout the semester to earn academic credit. You are not alone during your work term – the Co-op Department is available to provide continued support when needed!

Co-op Work Term Course:

During your co-op work term, you will begin using a new Brightspace course specific to your program of study and co op semester. This is where you will upload your Learning Objectives, Work Term Consultation, End of Work Term Assessment and End of Work Term Report. All of your assignments will be uploaded to either the Brightspace Work Term Course or HireAC.

Work Term Assignments:

Supervisor and Work Term Details -You are required to input your supervisor’s contact information to HireAC, to ensure the Co-op Department can contact your employer, and send them the Employer Check-In and Employer Check-Out.

Letter of Offer -You are asked to upload your Letter of Offer or Job Contract to HireAC by the fourth week of your work term.

Student Learning Objectives -You will write a series of learning objectives and submit on Brightspace. These objectives allow you to understand what you would like to learn, and the professional skills that you would like to develop.

Work Term Consultation – You will complete a Student Work Term Consultation on Brightspace to evaluate your performance during the co-op work term and review your accomplishments.

Student Check In – You will complete the Student Check-In at the mid-term point to ensure your co-op work term is going smoothly and be provided with an opportunity to connect with the Co-op Department for any questions.

Employer Check-In -Your co-op supervisor is sent an online Employer Check-In to consult on your progress during the co-op work term.

Work Term Report – You are required to write and submit a Work Term Report that reflects what you learned in your co-op work term and how it connected with what you learned in the classroom. The work term report includes a reflective paper, work term self-assessment, and employer assessment.

Student Check-Out – You will complete the Student Check-Out near the end of your work term to finalize and close your work term, by providing comments and feedback on the experience.

Employer Check-Out– Your supervisor is emailed an Employer Check-Out to finalize your co-op work term.

Process and Student Responsibilities:

Communication

Communication between the Co-op Department and students prior to and while on work terms, will happen primarily electronically through your AlgonquinLive email account. Check your student email daily. Many of the following co-op emails require immediate action:

• Monthly emails
• Interview requests
• Networking opportunities
• Job offers
• Assignment reminders

Confidentiality

You should be aware of company policies and practices regarding confidentiality. As employees, you are expected to comply with the employer’s and the college’s policies. In accepting a co-op position, you agree that the information, data and research materials collected and prepared while an employee are the property of the employer. Authorization by the employer is required for the release of any information. You must consult with your co-op employer on the proprietary nature of any information used in your used in your Work Term Consultation or End of Work Term Report.

Workplace Monitoring

The Co-op Department is available to assist and monitor your co-op work term through work term consultations, telephone interviews, or in-person visits. All work terms will be reviewed at the mid-point through a formal work term consultation completed by you and your employer. As a co-op student, you must advise your Co-op Student Advisor of any work term related problems as soon as possible.

Withdrawal (Student Initiated)

You may request to be withdrawn from the Cooperative Education program, at any time, and must complete a Co-op Withdrawal Form. Please note, co-op fees are not refundable. You may be requested to participate in an exit interview.

Withdrawal (Co-op Initiated)

You may be withdrawn from co-op due to poor academic or job related performance. Here are a few situations that may lead to a student’s withdrawal from co-op:

• Leaving an employer during a work term without cause.
• Staying with the employer but leaving the approved co-op position without the prior approval of both the employer and the Co-op Department.
• Being dismissed from a job with just cause.
• Not submitting an End of Work Term Report by the established deadline
• Unsatisfactory employer evaluation.
• Failing to maintain the minimum required academic criteria (i.e. G.P.A.)
• Failing to obtain all mandatory courses for a program of study prior to a scheduled work term(s).
• Failing to participate in the co-op process (i.e. missing interviews, not replying to requests for contact).
• Failing to complete all mandatory elements of the Cooperative Education Readiness Activities.
• Co-op work permit is not secured.

Job Resignation

In your work term, if you feel it is necessary to resign from your co-op job, you must discuss this decision with the Co-op Department and obtain approval prior to resigning. If you fail to consult with the Co-op Department, you’ll be immediately withdrawn from the Co-op program.

Job Termination/ Dismissal

Employers have the right to dismiss a co-op student for just cause at any time during a scheduled work term. The student’s grade/credit for the work term will be determined as a result of the assessment into the circumstances surrounding the termination/dismissal.

Liability for termination/dismissal: Algonquin College and its employees shall not be held liable or responsible in any way for losses incurred due to a termination/dismissal from a co-op employment. This also applies to College-initiated withdrawals from co-op.

Failure to Report

All Cooperative Education students who fail to report to work without just cause will be withdrawn from co-op.

Time Off During the Work Term

Time off is permitted only in the case of emergency or illness. Since the co-op program is a full-time, academic experience, taking time off (to travel etc.) is not permitted. If you need to take time off from your co-op work-term, it needs to be discussed and approved by the employer and your Co-op Student Advisor.

Additional Co-op Work Terms (Graduate Certificate Programs)

Students in graduate certificate programs complete one co-op work term as part of their program of study. No additional work terms will be permitted, with the exception of students in the Geographic Information Systems program, who complete two co-op work terms as part of the program of study.

Re-employment

If you are offered a re-employment opportunity with a previous work term employer, for a subsequent work term, you must notify the Co-op Department at coop@algonquincollege.com.

Work Term Evaluation Criteria

A “P” for PASS will be awarded by the Academic Department to a co-op student if he/she fulfills all of the following:

• Completes the minimum number of required, paid, employment hours in the co-op work term.
• Submits a copy of their letter-of-offer, supervisor details, job description (if not on HireAC), and obtains approval for all documentation by the College prior to the start of the work term.
• Submits by the due date their “Student Learning Objectives”, approved by their supervisor, in Brightspace.
• Obtain satisfactory rating for all components of their “Work Term Consultation”
• Obtain a satisfactory rating in the “Overall Performance” section of their “End of Work Term Employer Evaluation”.
• Obtains a PASS grade on their “End of Work Term Report”.