Co-op Information for Employers

Welcome Employers!

What is Co-op?

As defined by Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada), a co-op program is an educational model that “formally integrates a student's academic studies with work experience. Students usually alternate academic terms with co-op work terms so that they can take what they’ve learned and put it into action and bring their co-op work term experiences back into the classroom, enriching communities across campus."

A typical journey through the UNBC Co-op Program is reflected in the timeline below:  
 

co-op schedule for hiring

How Do I Hire a Student?

Log in or register for the Experiential Learning Hub. Post a co-op job and hire UNBC co-op students.

Requirements for employers

  • Before extending a job offer, please confirm that the student is enrolled in the Co-op program by contacting the co-op coordinator at co-op@unbc.ca.
  • A co-op work term aligns with semester dates and is equal in length to an academic term, which is approximately 4 months or a minimum of 12 weeks (approximately 420-520 hours of work experience).
  • Co-op positions must be paid, in accordance with fair labor practices and applicable laws.
  • To ensure the progress and success of the co-op placement, a midterm site visit will be conducted. Employers are also required to complete a student evaluation of a student’s performance at the end of the co-op work term

For further information, please view this co-op document that outlines in detail how Co-operative Education engages students and benefits employers.

Funding options

Students receiving competitive and fair wages for their co-op work terms are integral to the UNBC Co-op program.

For a comprehensive guide of funding options, visit the ACE WIL Funding Page. 

Connect with us!

Interested in learning more? Have a particular job or project you'd like to hire for?

co-op@unbc.ca | 250-960-5447 | 7-153