Employer Information Package
Co-operative Education and Internships
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The co-operative education (co-op) program is designed to assist students in gaining paid, full-time work experience in their field of study, while aiding employers with their short- and long-term recruiting needs. Students make positive contributions to the organization through planned, supervised work terms.
Through co-op, employers have the opportunity to recruit bright, ambitious students that are proactively invested in preparing for their career. Whether you are looking to evaluate potential future employees or would like assistance for projects or short term coverage, co-op students can be an integral component of your recruiting strategies.
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co-op program is a win-win situation “forThe both the employer and the student. The employer has an opportunity to attract and retain potential employees through the co-op program. The work term is a four- or eightmonth interview in which the employer can train and develop knowledgeable, qualified, future employees that can fill a full-time position with ease, upon graduation.
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KELLY BARNES, BMgt, BA, CGA Lead, Canadian Division Assurance EnCana Corporation
How does Co-op benefit employers? •
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access to employees with enthusiasm, new ideas, current technical skills and a proven ability to learn and adapt to change cost-effective and low-risk opportunity to evaluate potential future employees cost-effective method of meeting short-term recruiting needs establishes a presence on campus allows permanent employees to concentrate on higher-level duties and responsibilities assistance from the Co-op office with many of the recruiting functions strengthens relationship between the business community and post-secondary education
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the work term must be relevant to the student’s academic studies in Management employers are not required to provide accomodations for students who must relocate. Reimbursement for relocation costs is at the discretion of the employer.
The employer’s role and expectations of a co-op student should not differ from that of any other employee. We ask that employers provide a safe, relevant and challenging work environment. In order to assist in the success of the experience we also ask that a supervisor: • • •
What is the employer’s role?
assist the student with a work-term learning plan (learning objectives) at the beginning of the work term participate in an on-site visit complete a performance evaluation at the end, all of which require only a modest time investment
What services does Management Co-op provide?
A meaningful co-op placement is one that complements the student’s education and broadens their skills. The primary objective is to provide the student with a planned, supervised work experience that will enhance their academic learning.
The Management Co-op program offers several services to assist in the recruiters’ needs., these include:
Criteria: • full-time employment (minimum 32 hours per week) • competitive wage (no wage mandated) • minimum 13 weeks (May-Aug, Sep-Dec, and Jan-April) • work terms are usually four, eight or twelve months in duration • work term extensions are possible in four-month increments •
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compiling posting information and posting positions based on job specifications collecting and sending cover letters, resumes & transcripts assisting students with online process (if required) notifying applicants once short lists have been completed organizing interviews (in person, telephone, and video conference)
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ensuring students are sufficiently prepared for interviews providing interview rooms on Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton campuses, free of charge flexibility with recruitment deadlines and quick turnaround times when required preparing students prior to their work term regarding the expectations of employers providing non-confidential feedback from students regarding issues relevant to the co-op student/employer relationship
What is Management Co-op’s role? A Management Co-op representative visits the work site once during each four-month period of employment. These site visits enable the co-op team to learn about the student’s experience and progress, as well as the organization’s culture, current technology being used, work flows and how contemporary workplace issues are being approached by an organization.
How are Management Co-op students selected? Management Co-op recruits and selects students on the basis of a “whole person” approach to reflect the practices of many employers. Management Co-op students demonstrate acceptable classroom performance (a GPA of 2.7/4.0 or higher), evidence of broader focus (extracurricular activities and/or community service) and a record of responsible employment.
How does Co-op work? Management Co-op operates on a market simulation model, which means that an organization may post, short list, interview and make offers within the organization or department’s time frame. Practically speaking, the timing of employers’ recruitment needs is often quite different from university-driven deadlines, which Management Co-op attempts to recognize by maximizing flexibility. Co-op students must consider each offer they receive on its own merits and accept or reject it on that basis. Management Co-op’s role is to help students through the decision-making process, but not to make the decision for them since doing so would detract from their learning about real-world workplace processes.
Hiring Management Co-op students has been a “huge benefit to Canadian Natural. Every student has fit into the team seamlessly and has begun to create value in a very short time.
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TREVOR FLOOD, BMgt 1999 Supervisor, GCA and Equalizations Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.
What are the deadlines? Although there are no set deadlines for hiring, we recommend employers close their co-op positions anytime following the first month of a new semester. To help ensure candidates are still available, we recommend interviewing within two weeks of closing your posting. We also encourage employers to complete the hiring process at least two weeks prior to the end of a semester.
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can reach out to the university and “pullWefrom the student body to help provide meaningful work experience. We try to approach it as a learning experience and try to take on a mentorship role as well. It’s not just a job...it’s been a big benefit for us an employer.
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KELLY PHILIPP, BMgt 1997 Vice-President/CFO Haul -All Equipment Ltd. Co-op employer
What is a typical salary?
• all students complete a Managerial Skills Development course which provides knowledge and practice at self-assessment, managing stress, communicating, leadership, managing conflict, delegating and team building • all students complete a basic information technology course which introduces them to MS Office Suite and multimedia. Students are also encouraged to complete a senior-level course involving advanced business software training • the student population on our campuses (Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton) is made up of students from across Canada and around the world. This diversity provides broadened life experiences, flexibility and cultural understanding. Most students are willing to relocate for their co-op work terms and the Co-op office provides an accommodations board and housing assistance for students who are required to relocate.
It is a general convention of co-operative education that salaries paid to co-op students vary by type of assignment, economic sector and sub-sector, geographical location, how many courses the student has completed towards his/ her degree and whether or not the student has completed previous co-operative education work terms. Management students working in major corporations in large urban centers earn between $2,500 and $4,700 per month. The salary level for students in small urban centers or rural communities is often in the $2,200-$3,600 per month range. It is however, the experience, not the wage, that ultimately provides for a successful co-op term.
What is the Faculty of Management philosophy? The U of L Faculty of Management offers a relevant, cuttingedge education. Through our high standards, quality programs and small class sizes, students are well-prepared for entering the competitive job market. Our philosophy is to provide students with both educational and experiential learning opportunities so they can be successful leaders in today’s workplace.
How does Co-op fit the student’s degree? Management Co-op is an option available to students completing a Bachelor of Management degree. Co-op students must complete a series of full-time employment work terms in addition to the forty academic courses required for their degree. They are encouraged to begin applying to co-op positions between their second and third years of study. Participation in co-op represents a proactive strategy for gaining credible work experience during the degree program, thus better preparing the student for the workplace upon graduation.
How are students prepared for the workplace? • small class sizes allow for hands-on experience, a high degree of interaction among students, faculty and the community, as well as enriched learning opportunities for students (i.e. team projects, case-based learning, Mentors program, Integrated Management Experience) • a liberal arts education requirement (fine arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences) gives students a “big picture” approach to education
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been involved in hiring students “fromOurthefirmU has of L Co-op program for many years and it has been extremely successful from our perspective. The students are able to gain valuable practical experience and we are able to train top quality students who will return and join the firm once they have graduated. In addition, once the students return to campus, they are excellent ambassadors for our firm.
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KELLY DYCK, CA Human Resource Manager Young Parkyn McNab LLP Chartered Accountants
What are the Management majors? The U of L Faculty of Management offers a number of majors to students on campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton. Although students have the opportunity to pursue their specific area of concentration, they are required to take a wide variety of Management courses that provide a solid and diverse understanding of contemporary management issues. The following majors are offered through the faculty: Accounting/Accounting (Advanced) is the study of financial
and combines an Aboriginal perspective with management studies.
which multinational firms actively trade and invest.
information (external and internal), tax, auditing, Canadian accounting theory and international accounting standards.
General Management allows
Information Systems is the study
students to choose management courses according to their interests and provides a broad background in all areas of management.
of both technical and behavioural issues concerning design, development and use of systems that comprise communication and information technologies.
Human Resources Management & Labour Relations is the study
Marketing emphasizes how
Computer Science concentrates on programming, digital systems, database management systems, data structures and computer architecture.
Economics is the science dealing with the production, distribution and use of wealth and resources.
Finance is the study of financial markets, financial instruments and investment decision making.
First Nations Governance is a multidisciplinary program that focuses on governance in an Aboriginal setting
of people at work and the activities associated with attracting, selecting, retaining, developing and utilizing people in organizations; and the study of how and why rules regulating jobs are made and administered.
International Management provides a familiarity with the language, culture, business practices and economic and political environment of countries in
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organizations and individuals plan and execute the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to satisfy consumer and business objectives.
Political Science examines the principles, organizations and administration of government.
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Did You Know? The U of L Co-op program was the first business co-op program in Alberta.
Did You Know? Nearly 300 management work terms are completed yearly by U of L Management students.
Did You Know? More than 100 employers currently recruit students from the U of L Management Co-op program.
Did You Know? Co-op can be a recruitment strategy for finding permanent employees through a four- or eight-month interview.
How do I hire a Management Co-op student? The co-op team acts as a liaison between the employer and students to help facilitate the hiring process. Here are the recommended steps to ease the recruiting process: 1. Send us your job posting • identify the job duties and qualifications, the start date, length of the position, a contact name and address for applications and the closing date for the posting • send by email: mngt.coop@uleth.ca or online form: http://www.uleth.ca/management/coopjobsubmissions • e-mails are sent to all co-op students on Lethbridge, Edmonton and Calgary campuses and postings are accessible through our online job board
conference and in-person interviews at no cost to you. Interview rooms are available on all three campuses, or you may conduct interviews at your place of business. 5. Select the best fit and notify the Co-op office • all offers should be made through the Co-op office and we will notify all applicants of selection decisions. Management Co-op does not have a ranking and matching system so you will know the status of your offer to a student without any significant delay.
2. Review applications • the Co-op office can either collect all applications (resumes, cover letters, transcripts or CACEE forms) and send them to you by the closing date, or direct students to your website to apply online
6. Begin a successful relationship • as the chosen co-op student gains a meaningful, educational work experience, you’ll benefit from the student’s earnest effort, enthusiasm, contemporary skills and great ideas. The co-op student is a temporary fulltime employee and should have the same performance expectations as any other term employee.
3. Compile a short list • notify the Co-op office of your short list. We will contact selected applicants and arrange interviews according to your preferred dates and times. 4. Conduct interviews • the Co-op office can arrange telephone, video-
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University of Lethbridge
MANAGEMENT CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION AH154 Anderson Hall University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge AB, T1K 3M4 Phone: 403-380-1810 Fax: 403-329-2112 Email: mngt.coop@uleth.ca Web: www.uleth.ca/management/co-op Blog: http://uoflmgtcoop.blogspot.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/MgtCoop
Faculty of Management 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4 403-329-2153 www.uleth.ca/management