The Greater Essex County District School Board's (GECDSB) Summer Co-op Program provides the opportunity for students to earn credits through a registered work placement.
Students who are accepted into the Summer Co-op Program provide their own work placement and must attend a pre-placement session with a program teacher. To earn one credit, students must complete 110 hours of work by a summer deadline date each year.
Work placements will operate under the advice and guidance of the Ministry of Education and Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to ensure safe protocols with COVID-19.
Is the Summer Co-op Program for you?
You would fit well with the Summer Co-op Program if you:
- Need only one or two credits to graduate
- Need one or two credits to get back on track with your scheduled graduation year
- Would like to try co-op, but can't fit it into your academic schedule
- Are a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) student who can't fit your co-op requirement into your academic schedule
- Are an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) student on your work placement and you can tie co-op to an existing credit
Eligibility
You are eligible for the program if you have completed two years of secondary school and earned at least 12 credits by the end of your semester but have not yet earned 30 credits.
We strongly recommend students to have earned either English credits, the Grade 10 Career Studies GLC credit, or a General Learning Strategies GLS/GLE credit that has not been already attached to a co-op credit. We also recommend that adult students complete any required academic courses before applying for the program.
Register
If you are a GECDSB student, register for the Summer Co-op Program using myBlueprint. If you are an adult student, attend another school within a different school board, or not currently enrolled in a GECDSB school, register using our Online Summer Programs Registration Form.
All students must complete our online Co-op Pre-placement Questionnaire when registering.
We will contact you with the date, time and location of your first pre-placement meeting.
Required documents
Mature students, who are at least 18 years of age and have been out of school for at least one year, must have:
- Two pieces of ID (birth certificate or passport and a piece of photo ID)
- Immigration papers or proof of citizenship
All students must have:
- Complete high school transcript, including final marks from second semester for non-GECDSB students
- Any additional post-secondary documents
If you have completed education outside of Canada, we recommend having your documents assessed by ICAS of Canada.
Placement expectations
- One summer co-op credit involves 110 hours of work placement and you must provide your own placement opportunity.
- You must attend your pre-placement meeting or you will be removed from the program. We will contact you with the dates and times of your pre-placement.
- You must provide your own transportation to and from your work location.
- There is no Learning Support Teacher (LST) or guidance support available.
- You are allotted a maximum of two days of absences with valid reason. Upon the third absence, you will be withdrawn from the program. No exceptions.
- You are subject to the GECDSB Code of Conduct. If you do not follow the Code of Conduct, you will be withdrawn from the program.