Are you looking for new talent but don't know where to start? Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of a lengthy recruitment process? The University of Guelph’s Co-operative Education program is working to make this simpler for you.
The University of Guelph Co-op program can be a partner in developing your hiring pipeline. They offer access to skilled, motivated, employment-ready students eager to contribute to your organization with over 2,600 co-op students available this Summer in nearly 70 programs including arts, business, computing, engineering, science, and agriculture.
If you are looking to hire but don’t know where to start, the University of Guelph Co-operative Education team can help to answer your questions, provide academic program information, and identify potential funding options to support hiring co-op students.
Co-op students are scheduled to start in May, September or January with most students available for 4 or 8 months, and some select programs offering 12-month work terms. Many employers also leverage the co-op program as a recruitment tool, hiring students as full-time employees upon graduation.
A benefit of the University of Guelph Co-op program is that all students have completed at least 3 academic semesters (nearly half of their undergraduate degree program) prior to their first work term. Students bring program specific knowledge and advanced skill sets to the workplace. Additionally, all co-op students complete an Introduction to Co-op course preparing them for their job search, developing professional competencies and setting expectations for their work terms.
“Employers consistently tell us that University of Guelph co-op students bring fresh ideas, adaptability, and a strong work ethic to their teams. Many of them have said that students contribute meaningful work, not just support tasks— and they often exceed expectations with their problem-solving skills.” says Co-op Job Developer, Brandon Leonard.
What sets the University of Guelph's co-op programs apart from other schools is their simplified approach to hiring, aimed to best support employer needs. Many employers prefer the flexible 'post-interview-hire' method compared to schools with a structured rank-match process.
Support from the Co-op program continues after the hiring process is complete. Components of the work term ensuring success for both supervisors and students include learning goals, check-ins with both supervisors and students to discuss progress and a required work performance evaluation. The Co-op team is also available at any time to assist with questions or concerns.
Looking for more information about the University of Guelph Co-op program? Contact recruit@uoguelph.ca or visit here.