Co-op Education

Co-op Education

Rationale: Co-operative education courses include a classroom component, comprising pre-placement and integration activities, and a placement component. Students earn cooperative education credits by integrating classroom theory with planned learning experiences in the community. Placements provide students with challenging opportunities to apply and refine the skills acquired in the related course.

Course Of Study:

A. The Classroom Component Pre-placement orientation

• Student preparation for the workplace
• Health and Safety
• Coverage under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act
• Unions and Collective Bargaining

B. Integration

• Reflect on and analyze their placement experiences
• Reinforce the job skills theory acquired in the classroom and the skills, techniques and principles learned at the placement.

C. The Placement Component

• Students will develop employability and industry-specific skills working in a business or institution.

Number of Hours Required: 281

Assessment and Evaluation:

• Assessment and evaluation will encompass all four categories of achievement: Knowledge/Content; Thinking/Inquiry; Communication and Application. A number of assessment and evaluation strategies will be offered to provide students with an opportunity to meet with success.

Assessment Strategies:

• Personalized Placement Learning Plan, Assignments, Tests, Quizzes & The Culminating Activity

Evaluation:

• Term: 70%, Final: 30%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Co-operative Education?

• A career oriented program integrating classroom theory with practical experience
• An excellent opportunity for career exploration

What is OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program)?

A program that enables students to learn a skilled trade while completing the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.). This is accomplished through apprenticeship which is a partnership involving a student who wants to learn a skilled trade, an employer who provides the training, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities – Training Divisions and your local School Board.

How Do Students Earn Credits?

• Students attend school for part of the day and spend the rest of the day in a workplace training program
• Students take a co-op component (or placement) attached to a specific in-school subject at the Senior Level (i.e. Grade 11 Accounting)

How does Co-op/OYAP Work at Lockerby?

• All Co-op students must take a first period class (does not necessarily relate to the co-op placement)
• Rest of the day – Co-op (either classroom component or workplace)

Co-op Credits (worth 3 Credits at Lockerby)

Co-op Program Runs Concurrently or Consecutively with Related Subject

• One (1) Credit – In-school component (Related Subject) – Semester 2 (Accounting BAF3M)
• Two (2) Credits – Out of School component – Semester 2 (Placement at Accounting Office)

How Many Hours Do Students Need to Work to Earn 3 Co-op/OYAP Credits?

• 240 Hours (Minimum of 12 Hours a Week x 20 Weeks)
• OYAP – students must complete the same hours as Co-op students but do so while working in a restricted trade

When Do Students Attend Their Placements?

• Tuesday – Friday (Integration Weeks) – There are 9 Monday’s in the semester that students attend in-class or Integration classes where they reflect on and complete assignments based on their workplace experience
• Monday – Friday (Non-Integration Weeks)
• Hours Vary (usually anywhere between 10:30 – 4:00)

When Do Students Start Going to Their Placements?

• Before students go to work at their placements, they must complete two weeks

Pre-Placement Topics Include

• Workplace Safety
• Code of Conduct
• Confidentiality
• Cover Letters
• Resumes
• Interview Skills
• Self-Assessment
• Job Applications
• Unions
• Human Rights
• Harassment
• Attitude

In-class (Pre-Placement) Hours Count Towards the Total Hours Required to Earn Co-op Credits

Is the Student Covered in Case of an Accident at the Workplace?

• Yes – The student is covered by the Rainbow District School Board in case of an accident at the workplace
• An excellent opportunity for career exploration

Is the Employer Responsible for Providing Safety Training to the Student?

• Yes – Job Specific Safety Training must be provided by employer to each student
• No – General Safety and WHMIS training is provided at Lockerby Composite School

Code of Conduct

• All Students are required to sign a Code of Conduct Agreement Prior to Commencing Placement
• This form must be signed by parent/guardian. The parent/guardian is advised to read each of these pages and understand the information contained within the contract

Confidentiality

• Students may have access to files, documents, client-patient information, telephone conversations, etc, which are confidential
• This information is not to be shared or discussed except at placement where appropriate
• Breaching confidentiality will result in removal from the placement thereby placing credits in jeopardy

Confidentiality Contract

• Co-op students must abide by the confidentiality contract in place at their placement.
• They’ll be asked to sign an oath of confidentiality by their placement supervisor and/or their Co-op teacher

Are There Any Forms that Employers must complete on a regular basis?

Yes, Students’ Weekly Log Sheets:

• Students’ Weekly Log Sheets
• They form the basis of the students day to day work activity
• Gives an opportunity to explain and demonstrate work experience daily
• Is a written record of the student’s hours
• Supervisor MUST read and sign Log Sheet each week. A comment is optional.

Transportation

• Transportation is the responsibility of each student
• Responsibility of student and parent to ensure travel arrangements have been made
• Bus Passes for the month or individual tickets at student rates are available from your Co-op teacher

Should the Student Contact if They Are Going to be Absent?

Attendance is always mandatory in the event of illness/lateness/absence during the work placement session, students are required to notify:

1. Their Placement Supervisor
2. The School’s Attendance Secretary
3. Their Co-op teacher

If there are any unexplained absences, contact the Co-op teacher immediately. Missing three (3) days of Co-op without just cause can be grounds for dismissal from the program.

What Happens If You Are Fired From Your Placement?

• If you’re asked to leave your placement by your supervisor (for just cause), an alternate placement will not be found.
• The Result – a failing grade in Co-op Education

What Should the Employer Expect the Student to Wear to Co-op?

• Dress according to the Employer’s Policy
• Students are reminded that dress at the place of employment should be professional and businesslike at all times.

How is the Student Evaluated by the Employer?

• There are three (3) formal evaluations
• They are conducted by the Co-op/OYAP Teacher in conjunction with placement supervisor and student
• The evaluation determines how the student’s learning skills are progressing at the workplace.
• Results are recorded on the Personalized Placement Learning Plan (PPLP)
• Employers are not required to complete large amounts of paperwork

How Will the Student’s Final Mark be Calculated?

• Employer Evaluation – 40%
• Course Work – all pre-placement, logs, journals and other assignments – 30%
• Culminating Activity – final exam or report – 30%
• All marks are divided among the 4 strands of learning: Knowledge/Understanding, Thinking, Application, Communication

Are Students Paid During Co-op?

• Students are not to be paid at their placement during the hours indicated on Their Work Education Agreement
• However, in consultation with their supervisor, students may be paid after their specified work hours and on weekends

Can Co-op/OYAP Students Be Hired For the Summer?

Yes, Co-op/OYAP students can, and are frequently hired by their employers for the Summer.
OYAP students hired as apprentices will begin their training immediately

Can Employees Receive Assistance in Paying Students’ Summer Wages?

• Yes – Help is available through Summer Job Service (SJS) – a provincial initiative to support summer employment for students. Employers are provided up to $2.00 per hour wage subsidy to be granted upon completion of the summer job.
• For more information contact YMCA Employment Services at (705) 674-2324 or visit their website at YMCA Employment  https://www.ymcaneo.ca/

Can an Employer Receive Tax Credits for Accepting Co-op/OYAP Students?

• Yes – For students enrolled in Co-op/OYAP, employers may apply for The Cooperative Education Tax Credit (CETC).
• Eligible Expenditures – For each qualifying work placement ending in a taxation year, a business in entitled to claim the lessor of:
• 10% of the eligible expenditures made in respect of that work placement
• $1000

For more information contact Ontario Ministry of Finance at (905) 433-6513

Can You Employ a Co-op/OYAP student from Lockerby?

If you are interested in acting as a host placement/employer for a Co-op or OYAP student, please contact Andrew Ferri, Co-op Coordinator for Lockerby Composite School at (705) 522-1750 or via e-mail at [email protected]

Log Sheets

Purpose of Log Sheets:

• Time sheet: a verification which allows students to prove they have completed the necessary hours to earn their co-operative education credits
• Summary of weekly learning: a record of all activities students perform and a list of new       information they have learned as a result
• Reflection: an opportunity for students to say how they feel about the way things are going at their placement
• Employer information: aids supervisors in keeping track of what students do

Log Expectations:

• Log will be handed in each Monday to the Co-op office, for student convenience, reports can be dropped in the large basket in the Co-op office even if the teacher is not there. If logs are submitted late, they do not serve the purpose for which they were intended and will be assigned a mark of zero. For verification of hours and work done, a student’s supervisor must sign all logs. It is recommended that supervisors to sign logs each Friday. In case a supervisor will not be available, it is recommended that students ask their supervisor who else might have the authority to sign them.
• Students should be careful how they write their weekly reports. Below are some examples that have been done poorly, the questions with them give some suggest to improve the quality of the logs. Students should review them before writing their logs.

“I met some people and they are very nice.”

What people? Why are they nice? What are their responsibilities? What department or area are you working in?

“I played with the children and did some activities.”

How old are these children? What sort of activities?

“I stamped brochures”

Why? What kind were they? What were they stamped with?

“I made some phone calls.”

To whom? Reason?

“I learned a lot about word processors.”

Just what was learned? What kind of computers? Who taught you?

“I sat in on a presentation.”

Who gave it? Topic? How related to your job?