What it is and what are the advantages of Co-op

18 February, 2022

What it is and what are the advantages of Co-op

Co-op means Co-operative education (or co-operative education) and is thus a structured method of combining classroom education with practical work experience.

Co-op is an integral practical part of some higher education courses in Canada. Co-op is a kind of practical internship that may or may not be part of a course in Canada.

When the course in Canada has the Co-op component, this means that in addition to the period of classes at the educational institution, the student will have to carry out an internship in the area that was studied. In other words, to complete the course and receive the certificate, it will be necessary to put into practice what has been studied through an internship experience.

The part of the Co-op internship may or may not be paid and the institution determines the number of hours that the student must do the internship. Many Canadian Colleges assist with co-op internship placement.

Coop is then a practical component of work that is part of some higher education courses in Canada. It is a combination of theoretical and practical classes.

Many people believe that Co-op is a component of courses offered only by private colleges. In fact, most people think that taking a co-op course is the same as taking a technical course at a private college in Canada. This is also not true.

Private and public colleges may offer courses that include the Co-op internship as an integral part of the program of study.

The time for the Coop portion or internship must not exceed more than 50% of the College's total program of study.

Contrary to what many people think, co-op is not a course or program but a method adopted by post-secondary education institutions, the aim is to combine classroom study with work experience in Canada.

The programs that contain the Co-op include in the curriculum the need to acquire practical experience during their training to complete the program.

Before receiving their certificate and completing the course, the student will have to put into practice everything they have studied, either through an internship or another practical project.

This is an excellent way to combine study and work, remembering that English and French courses do not allow students to work, only higher education courses.

It is important to remember that the internship always takes place within the student's area of study, other Co-op particularities such as the workload, duration and deadline for completion, for example, vary according to the educational institution and course.

Know that, regardless of whether your course has the Co-op component or not, the working hours are the same as those already allowed by the Canadian government for those who have a study permit. In other words, those who have a study permit, to attend post-secondary programs, lasting from 8 months, can work for up to 20 hours per week during their class period and more than 20 hours in the periods of breaks from classes. famous "breaks" during the program.

If your course has the co-op component, you can work the same 20 hours per week during your classroom study period, however, during the co-op period, you will be able to work more than the authorized 20 hours for the student, being able to complete a full-time workload (in Canada, any working day of more than 30 hours per week is considered full-time) if your activity/work is recognized as a co-op by your educational institution.

What are the advantages of Co-op?

The student has the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, get to know the Canadian work culture and expand their networking, which undoubtedly can open other doors inside and outside Canada.