‘It was exactly what I had been looking for’
CBU students find success with co-op placements
When a professor at Cape Breton University suggested to Amy Penticost that she might want to look into a co-op placement as part of her bachelor of business administration degree, she had no idea it could lead to a permanent job.
But that’s just what happened as she first began working in accounting with the finance office of Cape Breton Dental Group during the third year of her degree, which then led to her continued part-time employment as she completed her degree, and finally a fulltime job after graduation last May.
“It was perfect, it was exactly what I had been looking for … I have every intent to be here for the long run,” the 24-year-old Sydney native said in an interview. “It’s great to be able to take what you’re experiencing in class and learning and actually putting it into the workforce and kind of the opposite, taking what you’re doing at work and being able to relate it back to your classes.”
In additional to the accounting work, Penticost said she also learned about the actual work environment and being part of a staff.
National Co-operative Education Week runs from March 20-24, with the intention of raising awareness of the co-op option among both students and employers.
CBU has recently placed more than 40 students with employee mentors across Canada and is currently placing students for the spring and summer sessions.
Jennifer Currie, co-operative education student placement officer at CBU, said the university
recently revived its co-op program, including two dedicated student placement officers, because students realize how important it is to get work experience as part of their educations.
“It was also on the books, we had never cancelled it, but I think for a while students weren’t as interested in getting co-op, they were trying to get their degree, get in, get out as quickly as possible,” Currie said.
But increasingly students realize the benefit of gaining practical work experience, networking
with employers and getting paid while on a summer placement, she added, noting co-op placements can also be useful for employers as they look to recruit future staff.
“Employers are getting the opportunity to meet students that they may hire down the road as permanent employees, on a trial basis,” Currie said.
“(Students are) getting that hands-on experience that you get paid for and that you can get university credit for, so you can actually get a credit toward your degree. It’s really a win-win for everybody
It is also a potentially useful recruiting tool for CBU as it looks to compete for students against other educational and training institutions, Currie acknowledged.
The co-op option can also help students determine the sorts of work they don’t want to do. Currie noted that one student who received an accounting placement realized that while they wanted to stay in business, accounting was the wrong field for them.
There are also funding programs available for employers looking to hire co-op students during the placements, which take place in January, May and
September.
Anyone wanting more information on the co-op program can contact Currie at Jennifer_ Currie@cbu.ca.