The UPEI Co-operative Education Program has been actively encouraging students to seek international opportunities since 1999.  More than 37 students from UPEI have participated in an international co-op term in countries worldwide including Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Thailand and the United States.

International work terms are a great opportunity for students to experience new cultures, meet new people, etc.  To participate in a work term abroad, students typically must have completed a minimum of one work term domestically.

A few things to note:

• Some students have benefitted from the information shared on SWAP www.swap.ca . This site is geared to Canadian looking to experience a working holidays
• Students interested should notify the Co-op Office a minimum of four months prior to expected departure date. It takes time to make the appropriate arrangements to travel and work abroad.
• Prior to applying to participate in an international work term students must have a valid passport or proof of application.  Applications for a Canadian passport can be downloaded from http://www.pptc.gc.ca/cdn/index.aspx               
• Financial assistance to help cover a portion of the student’s transportation/ work permit costs is currently available.
• For students doing an International Work term, they are given 8 hours credit towards the 24 hours of peak performance required to complete the credit.
• For more details on International Co-op workterms, please e-mail co-op@upei.ca or drop by the Co-op office MCD 230.  

Testimonials

"Doing an international workterm in Oxford, England was one of the best decisions of my academic career. The people I met and places I went created memories that will last a lifetime. I was fortunate enough to acquire a job in the HR department of the County's Council. This was great, as I was always interested in HR but had no real experience in it. I now intend to pursue a career in HR and have my international workterm to thank for this."Jenna Clow 

"Co-op allowed me to see the world, for my second work-term; I moved to Oxford, UK to work for The Nielsen Company. Travelling around the UK taught me independence and opened my eyes to new experiences, and people. I learned a lot about my coping abilities and what is really important to me." Emma McPhail

"Completing an international Co-op work term was not only an adventure of a lifetime, but a strong building block on my resume. For me, it was the combination of developing my skills and satisfying my aspiration to travel the world.  The funding I received allowed me to fully experience the adventure of partaking in an international learning experience.  I would suggest every student take advantage of the great international programs offered at UPEI".Nevin Dunfield

"The opportunity to participate on an international Co-op work term to Melbourne, Australia was fantastic! Taking part in an international learning experience was like no other in that I received quality work experience, had an opportunity to travel that part of the world and met new individuals from all over the globe. I would encourage every student to take part in this phenomenal learning experience".Kristen Landry

"Doing an international workterm in Sydney, Australia was quite possibly the best experience I have had in my university career. I learned to become more independent and confident in my job searching abilities, gained valuable work experience, met tons of great people, and had the opportunity to travel the country. I strongly recommend an international workterm for co-op students who are seeking a challenging, rewarding, and extremely fun experience."Amy Corrigan