Co-op & Career Development Centre Co-op Employer Guide

Co-operative Education is a proven educational model that allows students to combine academic studies with curriculum-related, paid work experience to help them develop the skills they need to be successful in their future careers. “Co-op” gives students an opportunity to shape the development of their career path. Co-op applies the concepts learned in academic terms in a live work environment. Each Co-op work term is a minimum of 420 hours of paid work, either full-time over a four-month work term or part-time over an eight-month work term. Co-op students registered into a full-time Co-op course are considered full-time students.

Co-operative Education programs at Langara are committed to providing quality work placement opportunities that will best serve the interests of the employer and student. The College’s Co-op programs follow guidelines prescribed by: Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada), the Ministry of Advanced Education, and Service Canada.

Langara offers a Co-op option for students in the following program areas:

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

• Accounting
• Business Management
• International Business Management
• Marketing Management

Business Diploma

• Accounting 
• Business Management
• Financial Management
• Marketing Management

Post-Degree Diploma

• Accounting

Bachelor of Science

• Bioinformatics

Associate of Science

• Computer Science
• Bioinformatics
• Biology

Science Diploma

• Computer Studies
• Bioinformatics
• Biology

Marketing

• Market research, survey design, and implementation
• Promotions and events logistical support, coordination, and execution
• Project work or follow up and reporting on past events
• Community engagement, volunteer management, communication strategies, social media

Finance & Accounting

• Accounting cycle - A/P, A/R, journal entries
• Financial report preparation
• Accounts and financial report reconciliation
• Personal and corporate tax returns

Business Administration

• Business analysis, reporting, and presentation of material
• Project management and human resources planning
• Operational and logistical planning, trade marketing
• New business development, research, and database management

Bioinformatics

• Design and carry out scientific experiments
• Strong knowledge of biological information flow
• Lab skills, such as aseptic technique, use of light microscope, micro pipetting
• Bioinformatics skills: BLAST searches, familiarity with NCBI and PDB databases, Map Viewer, molecular visualization of proteins
• Standard microbiology lab techniques
• Recombinant DNA techniques, such as cloning into plasmid vectors, gel electrophoresis, PCR
• Enzyme assays
• DNA analysis and phylogenetic
• Writing lab reports
• Biology

Computer Science

• Solid foundation in software development cycles
• Bug testing, reporting, and fixing
• Information and data representation
• Software development
• Networks
• Applications (e.g., spreadsheet, database)
• Android programming
• Web development

Biology

• Writing lab reports
• Design and carry out scientific experiments
• Lab skills, such as aseptic technique, use of light microscope, micro pipetting
• Standard microbiology lab technique
• DNA analysis and phylogenetic
• Enzyme assays

Placement Time Line

Student start availability: Generally work terms fall within the regular academic semesters, starting in January, May, and September – some exceptions apply as students may be available to start earlier or stay later in a given semester.

• Student work hours: minimum 420 hours
• Students are available to do 4, 8, and 12 month full-time Co-op placements
• Part-time Co-op positions are also available (eg. 420 hours over 8 months)

Employer

Employers are in charge of providing the student with challenging tasks that will help them grow as a professional and develop new skills. Employers will supervise students during the Co-op placement, evaluate work, advise students of confidentiality matters, and participate in a site visit with the Co-op instructor.

• Student Orientation
• Create an enriching environment where students are supported
• Provide challenging tasks to help develop professional skills
• Provide appropriate training, supervision, mentoring
• Engage the student in meaningful employment related to their field of study and consistent with the student’s ability
• Frequent feedback
• Participate in a site visit approximately halfway through the work term
• Complete a student evaluation at the end of the work term

Site Visit (virtual or on-site)

A site visit will take place approximately halfway through the work term placement. During the site visit, you will be asked to give insight into students:

• Progress on projects, workload, contributions to the workplace
• Professionalism and attendance

How does the site visit work?

• Brief meeting that will take place virtually or on-site
• The site visit will take a maximum of 30 minutes
• The Co-op student is responsible for setting up the site visit

Student Evaluation

Employers will be asked to complete a student evaluation at the end of the Co-op placement. The Co-op & Career Development Centre will email you this evaluation within the last month of the placement.

Student

• Apply concepts and knowledge learned in educational institution in the workplace
• Coordinate a site visit with Co-op instructor and employer
• Accept feedback and suggestions for improvement in a positive manner
• Exercise ethical workplace conduct
• Comply with all conditions and rules that apply to employees in the organization
• Maintain workplace confidentiality

College & Co-op Instructor

The Co-op instructor is the liaison between the student and employer and will work closely with the Co-op student throughout their work term placement. The Co-op instructor will conduct the site visit either virtually or on site to get feedback on the student progress in their workplace.

• Site visit
• Addressing challenges
• Point of contact for all Co-op matters

The pay rate is determined individually by each employer according to fair levels within the organization’s structure. Students are normally paid at rates comparable to entry level employees performing similar tasks. Co-op Instructors maintain an ongoing record of common average wage rates for each specific field.

Co-op students are, in effect, hired as temporary full-time employees. Students in their second work term are generally assigned more responsibility and their wage rates are expected to increase.