Co-operative Education (“Co-op”) is a structured program that integrates a student’s academic studies with relevant, quality work experience.
Your role as an employer is the co-operative part of this equation. We partner with employers from all sectors, in Canada and around the world, who in turn benefit from the contributions of bright, motivated co-op students.
To qualify as a co-op work term, the position you’re hiring for should be:
Co-op students are available year-round for 4, 8, 12 and up to 16 month work terms* beginning in January, May, and September each year. We begin posting co-op jobs 4 months before the intended start date.
| For Start Date In | Post Jobs During |
|---|---|
| January | September-December |
| May | January-April |
| September | May-August |
Our timelines during the posting period are flexible to meet yours, but we encourage you to post early to ensure access to the biggest pool of available candidates.
* Different co-op programs may have varying guidelines on maximum length
Students are available from across almost every discipline:
To learn more, visit our Program Spotlight.
UBC Co-op supports the recruitment process by promoting your jobs, bundling applications, coordinating interview schedules, providing on-campus interview rooms if needed, and more – all at no cost. Once students are on their work terms, we also support their success in the workplace through guidance, professional development assignments, and site visits.
Throughout the term, the student’s progress is monitored by a dedicated Co-op Coordinator and their performance on the job is evaluated by their employer. Our goal is to make sure the work term is a mutually beneficial experience for both you and your student.
At the beginning of the work term, the student will set learning objectives, which we encourage the supervisor to establish together in order to set realistic and challenging goals.
About midway through the term, a Co-op Coordinator will schedule a site visit with the student and supervisor in order to discuss the student’s learning, progress, and performance thus far.
At the end of the term, the supervisor will complete an evaluation form that assesses the student's performance and progress throughout the term.
There may be other requirements for evaluating co-op work term assignments or reports, which vary by co-op program.