| All You Need To Know About American Co-op Programs! |
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If you are an international student looking to study in the United States, you might be wondering what a cooperative program actually is. |
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What is co-op? |
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In the United States, the cooperative program is basically like an internship or work placement. You combine your classroom education with practical employment experience. You usually alternate terms between studying and working, and usually work for different companies in different positions over the course of your degree.
The co-op job hunt process is similar to a true job-hunt in the real world, where you apply and compete for jobs with other people - rather than be "placed" in a job. Usually universities will provide a database of jobs for you to apply to, but also encourage you to find jobs on your own.
Depending on your co-op program, it will typically consist of alternating semesters of work and study. |
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| What are the advantages of a co-op program? |
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From everything I've explained so far, you can probably see the advantages of a co-op program. It's really a great opportunity for any aspiring student. You get to meet lots of new people, discover new ideas and even live in different cities. Here are some benefits of co-op: |
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- Get paid! Finance your studies with the money you earn during co-op positions.
- Gain work experience that relates to your studies. This won't only improve your future prospects, but it may count towards required experience for MBA programs, professional designations like engineering, and more
- Discover hidden job markets and get industry exposure
- Make professional contacts and build a network
- Get to try out different positions, fields of work and companies - and therefore exploring a range of career options you might never have even thought of
- Learn skills such as resume writing, interviewing, and job performance, which will help you in finding a full-time job later on
- Co-op students are more successful in gaining employment after graduation than regular students
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| More things to consider: |
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Real World Experience- Speaking from experiences, there can be a lot of pressure to find a great job while keeping your grades up. While there is a high success rate of finding a co-op job, some people will need more time to land up in a job they love to be in, But, the process of hunting a suitable job is an experience in itself which helps them later in life. Co-op programs can show you the real prospects of the job market out there, which will make you better equipped for your future. |
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No summer breaks.. Usually students get the months of April to August off for the summer, but in co-op, you study and work back and forth - no breaks in between, except maybe a week after exams. Sure, it would be nice to have a longer break once in a while, but for international students that's actually a great thing. You don't need to spend money without studying in the US, or risk visa problems by going back home for the summer. |
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No wasting time. The time at which you apply for jobs and go through the interview process is the same time you're studying in school and having midterm exams. There are students friend who have had dozens of 22 job interviews while having several mid-term exams as well. Talk about stressful! The trick is to know which jobs you really want and are qualified for. You'll learn how to utilize your time effectively, and that's an important skill.
The co-op fee. It's important to recognize that usually the school adds on an extra fee for being in the co-op program, which pays for co-op advisors, work report markers, resources and other such things. There are tons of resources that can help you during co-op, take advantages of them to get the best value out of your tuition. |
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Requirements for the co-op program |
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Different Universities have different criteria for their co-op programs.
Usually, the privilege of being able to get work experience and represent your university in the workplace requires a higher average than a regular program. Here are some more notes on co-op that you should consider: |
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1. Since co-op is part of your academic studies, it also counts as a credit. You are usually required to a work report at the end of every work term and will be graded on it. You will also be evaluated by your employers at the end of every term - Poor, Satisfactory, Good, and so on.
2. You may be required to take a short online course before or while you work - this is in preparation for workplace communication, handling workplace conflict and learning how to create a proper work report.
3. Keep in mind that you have to keep your grades up, have good evaluations with your employers and complete all the co-op work terms, courses and work reports that are required from you.
4. You must be eligible to work in the United States for off-campus work placements. |
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