Employers are a key partner in the success of our Co-op students, being key influencers, teachers, and mentors as the students develop and grow as professionals. To make the most of the student work term experience, the Co-op program asks the employers to engage and support the students in their learning.

We have outlined the following employer responsibilities to ensure this success:

• Provide the university with an accurate and complete job description to ensure the best possible match between the student and the employer;
• Offer a paid co-op work term of suitable duration (minimum of 14 weeks);
• Ensure the student is aware of company policies and procedures and provide appropriate orientation;
• Provide students with an overview of expectations and direction and offer assistance to students in developing their learning objectives;
• Provide a learning environment where the student is assigned projects which provide a variety of experiences and progression of skill development and responsibilities;
• Treat the students as regular employees in terms of human resource and labor practices;
• Participate in the work site visit by a member of the co-op team;
• Assist in setting and approving the student’s personal learning goals, and identifying a topic for their analytical technical report;
• Provide the student with on-going supervision and feedback on performance, and complete the final employer evaluation of student and review it before the student returns to campus;
• Notify the Co-op Office as early as possible of any issues or concerns related to the student; and
• Notify the Co-op Office as early as possible of any situations or issues arising from labor negotiations or other disruptions during the co-op work term.

Additional information on the role of the student and the Co-op Office can be found in our Student Guide to UPEI Co-operative Education.