Ottawa Technical SS

Q. What is Cooperative Education? 

Cooperative Education is a planned learning experience, for which credits are earned, that integrates classroom theory and learning experiences at a workplace to enable students to apply and refine the knowledge and skills acquired in a related curriculum course or a locally developed course.

Q. What is the Supervisor's role?

• interview potential students
• shares expertise with students
• maintains a record of the student's attendance
• treats the student as a regular employee in training
• communicates with the teacher-monitor on a regular basis
• assists the teacher-monitor in the evaluation of the student's performance
• provides on-going feedback to the student
• provides a safe working environment and reports accidents involving the student immediately to the school.

Q. What are the benefits of having Co-Op students in the workplace?

• develops supervisory, leadership and interpersonal skills of employees
• provides opportunities to assess and recruit future employees
• gives students exposure to a variety of career options, help boost their confidence and let them build a network of references
• permits business and industry to enhance their corporate image through their direct involvement with the community they serve 
  assist schools in keeping courses relevant to business, technological, industrial and professional practices
• encourage students to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes required for employment

Q. What are the benefits for Co-Op students?

• learn about their strengths, interests, and special skills
• provides career exploration and planning enhanced and enriched academic experiences
• improves their employability skills
• create better-prepared workers, and reduce time-consuming and costly recruiting, hiring and training efforts
• apply curriculum knowledge in an out-of-school setting
• learn valuable lessons such as pride in a job well done, punctuality, dependability and honesty.

Q. Are the students paid?

• No - the emphasis in cooperative education is placed on learning.
• Cooperative education students registered as (OYAP) apprentices in trades recognized by the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act may be paid wages.

Q. What if the student is injured?

• The student is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board according to the dates and times stipulated in the Work Education Agreement Form.
• The teacher will cover the procedure with the supervisor at the time of the placement.

Q. As an Employer, what are the Insurance issues I should be aware of?

• Students participating in a Cooperative Education program are covered by OCDSB third-party liability insurance with respect to those specific activities involved in their training.
• It is not recommended that students drive vehicles of any kind on Co-Op placements. This includes forklifts, ATVs, golf carts, snowmobiles, ride-on lawn equipment, etc., as well as vehicles licensed for the road.
• Although there may be circumstances where driving is a part of a student's expected duties, the employer must then include the student in their insurance coverage.
• The student is protected for damage caused accidentally to the property of an employer while such property is in the care, custody or control of the student.
• The school board's insurance does not protect the employer from his/her own negligence.

Q. How long do I have the student for?

• Semestered school students are usually in the workplace three hours per day from mid-September to the end of January or mid-February to the middle of June.
• Students do not attend the placement during the school holidays.

Q. What is the process for advertising my placement opportunity?

• A brief description of the organization and job duties will be required. Any special skills that the student will need would be an asset. Your Placement Opportunity will be e-mailed out to all Co-Op contact teachers.
• Contact: Deirdre Stuart, Databank Administrator at (613) 596-8286 or your "neighbourhood" High School Co-Op Dept. - OTLC (745-4528)
• Posting a Placement Opportunity can be done at any time throughout the year but the preferred times are late August, December and in June.