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Co-op

HomePrograms and LearningCo-op, SHSM, OYAP and Dual-CreditCo-op Education
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GECDSB Co-Operative Education

What is Co-op Education?

The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) offers a cooperative education (co-op) program to extend secondary students' learning experience outside of the classroom. Learn how students can apply for co-op and the many benefits employers gain from supporting students career journey.

What the co-op program offers

Students who participate in the co-op program will earn credits towards their secondary school diploma while gaining experience in the workplace.

Why Students take Co-op

With co-op, students can explore their future career interests in any industry, business or community setting to see if it's a good fit. Benefits students experience in co-op include:

  • Explore career choices
  • Increase awareness of workplace opportunities
  • Develop transferable skills that are essential
  • Apply classroom theory to workplace experience
  • Experience the realities of the world of work
  • Build a network for future employment
  • Make a smooth transition to life after high school
  • Earn up to two co-op credits towards the 18 compulsory credits needed for a high school diploma
  • Earn credits toward the 12 optional credits needed for a high school diploma

Benefit to Employers

Are you interested in taking a GECDSB COOP student or want more information about the process? Please email us at [email protected]. 

If you are an employer who is considering taking on co-op students at your workplace, you will gain the following benefits:

  • Contribute to career education
  • Contribute to the development of your workforce
  • Develop supervisory skills among your staff
  • Promote positive attitudes toward the organization
  • Promote awareness of job opportunities
  • Become active in community partnerships
  • Give your staff an opportunity to share their experiences and improve their mentorship and leadership

Applying as a Student

Contact your co-op teacher or guidance counselor at your secondary school for more information. 

Interview with co-op teacher

After you complete the application form, you will be interviewed by your co-op teacher to help match you to placements based on your interests. They will provide a list of placement options for you to apply for. If you have a particular workplace in mind, you can suggest it and have the placement be assessed by your co-op teacher.

How to apply for competitive centralized placements

Students can apply for competitive centralized placements through your co-op teacher and go through a competitive interview process by the employer. If you are not selected for the first placement you apply for, you may choose an alternate co-op placement and try again.

Competitive Centralized Program

Beyond the co-op placements students receive through their co-op teachers, the Competitive Centralized Program offers GECDSB students the chance to take placements at highly sought-after companies. Learn about what it takes to apply and be selected for this program. For a list of Competitive Centralized placements, please contact the co-op teacher at your school.

Roles and responsibilities

Learn about the roles and responsibilities that are required for co-op students, teachers and their employers.

Your role as a co-op student

If you are a co-op student, you must:

  • Attend all pre-placement and integration days at school as scheduled
  • Complete the time requirements as outlined on the Work Education Agreement
  • Inform your school, co-op teacher and placement supervisor if you are unable to report to your placement
  • Complete assignments required by the teacher and the supervisor
  • Complete and submit logs and journals weekly
  • Maintain confidentiality
  • Comply with workplace health and safety
  • Demonstrate a positive attitude, accountability, and a willingness to learn
  • Comply with the Statement of Understanding
  • Comply with Accidents and Injuries Reporting Procedures

Your role as a co-op teacher

If you are a co-op teacher, you must:

  • Develop relationships with business, industry and community organizations
  • Integrate practical workplace experience, attitudes, and expectations with curriculum
  • Interview, select, and prepare student for co-op placement
  • Match student with appropriate placement
  • Complete Placement Assessment Checklist and assess suitability of placement
  • Support student and supervisor throughout the program
  • Develop Student Cooperative Education Learning Plan (SCELP) with supervisor and student
  • Integrate workplace experience with curriculum expectations
  • Monitor student learning
  • Assess and evaluate performance and assign the final grade
  • Promote health and safety in school and at the co-op placement
  • Follow Accidents and Injuries Reporting Procedures

Your role as an employer

As an employer supporting co-op students, there are many responsibilities you take on throughout the process.

To hire and onboard co-op students, you must:

  • Interview student and provide feedback on their interview and resume package
  • Develop a weekly schedule for working days and hours (15 hours per week for 2 credits)
  • Sign the Work Education Agreement (WEA)
  • Work with the co-op teacher and student to develop the Student Cooperative Education Learning Plan (SCELP) and identify and develop workplace expectations
  • Choose an employee to be responsible for supervising and evaluating each student

During the co-op placement, you must:

  • Give clear instructions and supervise their learning experiences
  • Review and sign students' log sheets at the end of each week to verify hours and activities
  • Offer variety of tasks to the student each day
  • Share expertise with student
  • Provide real work experience in a safe learning environment free from discrimination and harassment

To ensure co-op students respect and abide by your workplace regulations, you must:

  • Report student absence to the school immediately
  • Contact the teacher when a concern arises
  • Provide health and safety training
  • Follow Accidents and Injuries Reporting Procedures

Commonly asked questions

Review the following commonly asked questions by students, teachers and employers for our co-op program.

Do students get paid?

Students do not get paid during their co-op placements. However, students will earn secondary school credits towards their diploma. Some employers may provide a modest honorarium to help students with work related expenses, however, this is not common.

Can students be hired by the employer?

Students may be hired by their employer if the position does not interfere with the co-op program. The employer must insure the student during these paid employment hours.

How do students get to and from the placement?

Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from their placement, including all travel expenses. The GECDSB recommends students take public transportation.

Can co-op hours be used as Community Involvement hours?

Students cannot count co-op hours towards their Community Involvement hours. These programs are not the same and focus on different experiences – co-op is for personal work experiences and Community Involvement focuses on volunteer opportunities.

Are students insured?

Students are required to complete the Work Education Agreement (WEA) which ensures students are covered by Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) while at their placements.

What if the students don't like their placement?

If a student does not like their placement, we recommend speaking to their co-op teacher for guidance and how to maximize their learning and personal growth. Please note that students will have an interview prior to co-op with their co-op teacher to match them to a preferred placement employer.

 What if a student isn't fitting in with their placement?

If a student is not adjusting to their placement expectations, the employer has the right to dismiss the student. The co-op program is to provide a realistic experience of the workplace and help them understand what it takes to get and keep a job. If a student is let go from their employer, the co-op teacher and principal will continue to work with the student. If the student is unwilling or unable to change their focus or behaviour, students may lose their co-op credits. However, if the student can make meaningful adjustments, a new placement may be found if time and circumstances permit.

Who ensures students' safety?

The co-op teacher will provide general safety awareness training during pre-employment classes. The employer is also expected to provide specific safety orientation and ongoing training. Students are responsible for:

  • Always wearing safety gear
  • Following workplace guidelines and practices
  • Reporting any injuries or hazards

What happens during a work stoppage, strike, lockout, company lay off, or shutdown?

 If an employer experiences a work stoppage, strike, lockout, company layoff or shutdown, students and employers will inform the co-op teacher. The co-op teacher will assign alternative work for the students to make sure they complete their co-op hours. If the work stoppage is long, the co-op teacher may have to find an alternate placement for the student.
Specialist High Skills Major
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Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
Students have an opportunity to become a registered apprentice and work towards becoming a certified journeyperson in a skilled trade while completing their secondary school diploma.
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Dual Credit
Dual Credit programs allow students to take courses at St. Clair College that count toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a post-secondary program. 
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Technology Courses
View the wide variety of technology courses that GECDSB provides to secondary students. Learn how these courses can help students gain valuable skillsets that support many educational pathways.
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Greater Essex County District School Board

451 Park Street West
P.O. Box 210
Windsor ON N9A 5V4

Phone: (519) 255-3200
Toll Free: 1-888-779-7735

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