What is a co-op program?
Co-op is an abbreviation for cooperative education, a type of learning that combines classroom education with real-world experiences. Students who participate in co-op programs typically work full-time in their chosen fields, giving them the opportunity to develop practical skills.
Cooperative education also helps young people learn professional norms. When they’re at work, participants get to observe experienced employees and model their behavior. Some companies even enroll their co-op students in mentorship programs, giving participants a head start on their career development.
Co-op program vs. internship
Although co-op programs and internships have some features in common, they’re not quite the same thing. One of the main differences is that co-op participants work full time, usually across multiple terms. For example, a co-op student may work full time for three or four semesters.
In contrast, an internship usually lasts for one semester. For example, a student may complete an internship during the summer between their junior and senior years.
Another difference between the two is that internships are often unpaid, and co-op jobs pay full-time wages. The U.S. Department of Labor permits unpaid internships as long as they provide “significant educational benefits” without displacing a company’s paid employees.
Related: Creating an Internship Program: A Guide
What are co-op programs’ major benefits?
Benefits for participants
From a financial perspective, participating in a co-op program makes it easier for students to manage their expenses. While they’re working, participants earn an hourly wage, ensuring they have money to pay for food, books, clothing and other necessities. Unpaid internships don’t offer the same level of financial security.
Participating in a co-op program also gives students a chance to improve their interpersonal skills. Each participant has to maintain a positive attitude, learn how to resolve conflict, listen carefully to colleagues and follow instructions from supervisors. Once they have these skills, they’ll be well-positioned for success in their chosen careers.
When students participate in co-op programs, they get to work with cutting-edge technology. Although many colleges have expensive equipment and software, not all students can access these resources. For example, a student may have to wait until they’re a junior or senior to use scanning electron microscopes or advanced CAD software.
As an added bonus, participants receive training from industry experts, making them better prepared to use advanced equipment once they graduate. Students may even learn enough to get certified in operating specific machines, giving them a leg up on other job applicants.
Related: Tips for Hiring Interns for Your Small Business
Benefits for employers
From an employer‘s perspective, running a co-op program makes it easier to plan for the future. Many employers have trouble finding entry-level employees whose skills go beyond the basics. Students who participate in co-op programs have many opportunities to develop relevant skills and understand how to apply them in a variety of settings. As a result, employers may have an easier time finding team members who can hit the ground running.
A co-op program is also an important part of a company’s recruiting pipeline. You may not hire every participant, but there’s a good chance you’ll find a few people who show promise. If you introduce them to your company at a young age, they may be willing to start their careers with you and stay for several years.
Hiring co-op students also gives you a little more flexibility. You may not have the resources to create a permanent full-time position in your marketing department, but maybe you have enough to hire a motivated student to work for you for three semesters. This makes it easier to fill skill gaps without increasing the size of your permanent workforce.
Finally, starting a co-op program may help you reduce some of your costs. For example, if you partner with a local university, you won’t have to spend as much money on job advertisements and other recruiting costs. It also costs less to hire an entry-level employee than it does to hire someone with more experience, letting you keep your payroll expenses in check.
Related: Assessing Interpersonal Skills
Tips for running a successful co-op program
If you’re convinced of the benefits of a co-op program and want to start your own, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Follow these tips to give your program the best possible chance of succeeding.
1. Set realistic goals
Before you start writing job descriptions or processing applications, take time to think about what you want to get out of the program. Ultimately, your goal will dictate the best approach to hiring, supervising and evaluating participants.
For example, if your goal is to reduce your recruitment costs and improve your succession planning practices, you’ll need a hiring process that helps you identify students who are likely to stick with your company after they graduate.
2. Appoint a program coordinator
Appointing a program coordinator makes it easier to keep track of important program details. Your coordinator should be someone who excels at juggling deadlines, assigning tasks and communicating effectively with people at all levels of the organization. Once you appoint a program coordinator, make sure they have the resources they need to answer participants’ questions and make sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing.
3. Prepare detailed job descriptions
It’s important to set clear expectations, especially with students who don’t have much work experience. One of the easiest ways to make your expectations clear is to give each participant a detailed job description. Each description should list the essential functions of the job, along with education and experience requirements. This makes it easier to determine if each applicant is a good fit for your needs.
When writing job descriptions for co-op students, be sure not to set the bar too high. For example, if you limit the program to seniors, you may miss out on a sophomore or junior student who would make the perfect addition to your company.
Related: Dos and Don’ts for Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions
4. Work closely with educators
Every co-op program is a little different, but colleges and universities typically assign an advisor to each participant. This advisor may have to observe students at work or contact you regularly for updates on each student’s progress. Advisors can help you address skill gaps or other problems with a student’s performance, making them an asset to your organization.
5. Pay participants fairly
When you offer an unpaid internship, the student is supposed to reap most of the benefits. For example, you may need to mentor interns or teach them basic workplace skills before they can contribute to your organization. In contrast, co-op students already have real-world skills. Once you hire them, they can immediately start completing tasks and sharing their ideas with your other employees.
Therefore, you must pay students fairly. If you’ve never had a co-op program before, it’s helpful to conduct a salary survey before you recruit your first group of students. Salary surveys make it easier to determine market rates for different jobs, giving you in-depth data to support your decisions.
