My initial impression of a co-op program was based on what I observed at high school: co-op was an easy excuse to skip class to volunteer your time at a daycare, a recreation centre, or even a pharmacy and label it ‘hands-on experience’ in the workplace. Who would want to sacrifice precious hours of intellectual stimulation to put away shampoo bottles in aisle three for free all semester? Not me.
Looking back, I could never have been more wrong. It was so much more than that! While I was taking Biology and Chemistry (consciously aware that I wanted to go into Communications which do not even require these prerequisites) my co-op classmates had the opportunity to volunteer at places they were interested in pursuing a career in, testing out the waters, and gaining that relevant experience under their belts before post-secondary even began!
Needless to say, when it came time to apply to University, I jumped on the opportunity to add the co-op option to enhance my Communications degree. At the beginning of my third year, on top of my five courses, I was enrolled in a 6-week co-op preparation course, which allowed me access to resources and workshops to improve my resume and cover letter, interview skills, and other important aspects of working in the ‘real world’. I believe that high schools should implement a resume-workshop based course to prepare for future employment endeavors. You’d be surprised at how many people my age or older still don’t know how to write a proper resume because it was never a skill taught in a mandatory course.
During the recruitment process for summer jobs that following winter, I submitted my applications to about eight positions online on the Carleton job repository that were related to my field and of interest. I was encouraged to apply to many more, but I couldn’t bring myself to apply to positions that were irrelevant to my major and were uninteresting to me.
I eagerly waited to hear from my eight potential jobs, constantly checking my co-op portal for any interview requests and mentally kicking myself for not applying to more positions like I was told. Finally, a week later, I received a request for an interview! It was with the Canada Revenue Agency as a Technical Editor and Program Coordinator, and also happened to be one of my top picks when I applied. I thought about the resources offered by Carleton that I could take advantage of before the big day: a mock interview preparation and business attire etiquette modules. I entered the interview room and any sort of nerves I previously had, vanished; a glass of water on the table for me and two friendly faces waiting. Suddenly, I had all the confidence I needed.
Two hours later I was emailed and offered the position. I had 48 hours to accept the offer or it would be offered to someone else. Having so much excitement that one of my top picks offered me a position, I accepted right away. I have worked for the CRA for two co-op work terms and it’s been such a great experience in shaping my potential future career paths.
However, I can’t say judging the hiring process by my lucky experience yields typical results. I have friends in the co-op program who only found a job after several interviews (more typical), and others who never even got offered a position (for example: when I applied for a summer term, there was only an apparent 60% rate of employment for Communications majors at Carleton). If co-op students are not successfully placed, they face one of two choices: either drop out of the program or try again next semester. However, students still have to pay the administrative fee of $390 per attempt to the university for providing access to apply for these jobs.
Nevertheless, I think the advantages of co-op outweigh the potential downfalls. It’s really a win-win situation for students and employers: students get to gain experience in a real work environment while being mentored by professionals; employers get fresh perspectives to enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration, with extra hands to do tasks at a budget-friendly cost. I was also rewarded with expanding my personal and professional networks, meeting amazing people and making new friends.
I would encourage all managers to consider hiring a co-op student to fill any potential gaps within their project/program. I also encourage all who have the co-op option in their degrees to apply, and do your research on it beforehand so you don’t miss out on the great opportunities it can offer your future career. As a result of my co-op opportunities thus far, I will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and rich, fulfilling work experiences that will better equip me in the workforce and pave the way for my career, whatever that may be!
Hopeful FYI: I am currently on the hunt for a position for my third work term (winter 2014)…