Co-operative Education for Parents
 
High school graduation is not that far away. Do you know what’s next for your child?
Co-operative education helps students decide by giving them hands-on experience in the workplace.
 
They also learn skills they can use right away in their search for part-time or summer work:

• résumé and cover letter writing
• interview techniques
• self-assessment tools
• goal setting

 
Plus, they learn about health and safety and workplace ethics. Co-op teachers have many community placements to choose from. They match each student’s knowledge, skills, abilities, personality, and interests to the work to find the best fit.
 
Your child is protected:

• As a parent, you have a say in where your child is placed and will be kept informed.
• The teacher must visit the workplace every 25 hours your child works.
• All placements follow Nova Scotia Department of Education guidelines.
• Learning agreements spell out the responsibilities of the student, parent, employer and school – all are partners who help make the placement a success.

 
Students work in their own communities. This helps them see a future for themselves at home. That means they are less likely to leave the province to find work. And the placement can occur anytime – during school, after school, weekends and even during vacations.

What is Co-operative Education?

• Co-operative education is a program that allows students to earn high school credits through completing an experiential work placement in the community.
• Co-operative education placements are arranged by the school and comply with Nova Scotia Department of Education policy and guidelines.
• Co-operative education allows students to participate in educational and career planning that helps prepare the student for the next pathway in his/her life.
• The co-operative education course consists of an in-school component and a placement component. The classroom component includes a 25-hour minimum of pre-placement instruction, which prepares students for the workplace and includes instruction in areas of key importance such as health and safety, workplace issues, and personality assessment. Classroom sessions are also held during and after the placement to provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning.
• A student’s co-op program consists of the co-operative education course, which is monitored by a cooperative education teacher. Every student in a co-op program must have a learning agreement and a learning assessment and evaluation plan.

“Students get an idea of what’s expected in the workplace and gain skills”
- Co-op Employer

How Does Co-operative Education Benefit Students?

Co-operative education provides students with the opportunity to:

• make connections between school and work and to explore a career of interest before finalizing plans for post secondary education, training, or employment
• see the relevance of their classroom learning in a work setting
• develop the essential skills and work habits required in the workplace and acquire an understanding of workplace expectations
• gain valuable experience from the workplace to help build the personal growth and social skills needed in today’s workplace and to develop their résumés for post-secondary programs and future employment
• experience authentic and purposeful learning outside the school/classroom setting

“Co-op has given me a hands-on approach to learning and has helped me choose my career path”
- Co-op Student

How Are Co-operative Education Programs Delivered?

• Co-operative education placements are available in many types of work settings, reflecting the wide range of student interests and abilities. Co-operative education may be offered as half-credit or fullcredit courses with courses offerings at the grades 10, 11, and/or 12 level. Placement time can be completed during regular school hours, evening, weekends, holidays, or summer. This will depend upon employer availability and the nature of the career explored. Flexibility and creative scheduling are major variables in program success.
• Access to co-operative education programs is based on student readiness and program availability.
• Co-operative education should be available to any student in high school who has reached the age of 16 and who, in the opinion of the co-op teacher, is socially mature and ready for the independent nature of credit delivery.