Co-operative Education
Cooperative education courses (co-op) is a program that allows high school students to earn credits by completing a work placement in the community along with classroom learning. Students are scheduled for a minimum of 110 hours for each co-op credit they earn.
Through co-op opportunities, secondary school students gain hands-on experience in real work environments. Some learning outcomes are:
- Hands-on learning
- Trying out potential career path options
- Making connections between their classroom and the real world
- Developing skills required in the workplace
- Learning transferable skills that will support them in any pathway they choose
- Building a resumé for their postsecondary plans and future employment
- Earning credits towards their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through workplace experience
Students complete classroom activities before, during and after their work placement to:
- Learn about health, safety and well-being in work environments
- Explore industry topics relating to their work placement
- Prepare for job searches and interviews
- Create a cooperative education learning plan (CELP) with goals
- Identify and reflect on new skills and knowledge they gain in their work placement experiences
- Plan how they can transfer their learning to future career and education experiences
Both the student and cooperative education teacher arrange a co-op work placement that follows Ministry of Education policy and guidelines, linked here: https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/cooperative-education-2018.pdf.
Co-op work placements can take place with community partners in sectors including (but not limited to):
- Agriculture
- Arts and Culture
- Business
- Construction
- Healthcare
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Information and Communication Technology
- Justice
- Community Safety
- Emergency Services
- Manufacturing
- Non-Profit
- Education
- Child Care
- Transportation
Connect with your school’s cooperative education teacher, guidance department or principal to learn more.
