Information for Co-op Teachers
What is Cooperative Education?
Cooperative Education is a planned learning experience, for which credits are earned, that integrates classroom theory and learning experiences at a workplace to enable students to apply and refine the knowledge and skills acquired in a related course.
Students are generally out in a workplace of a half day (morning or afternoon) for a whole semester (The first semester is from September to January and the second semester is from February to June). The tasks that are performed at the work site relate to a course that is either being taken presently or in a previous semester.
Students will participate in a pre-placement orientation where they will discuss resume writing, interview skills, health and safety before they are placed in a work site. Students will meet on a monthly basis with the co-op teacher in a group session to reflect on what they are learning at the work site.
Who is involved?
Cooperative Education is a partnership among education and business that involves students, teachers, parents and employers.
How are student selected for the program?
Check off Co-op on the option sheet that is filled out in February for the next school year
Complete the Cooperative Education Application form that is available from the Cooperative Education or Student Services office in the secondary school (also located in teacher folder in FirstClass)
The Cooperative Education teacher will interview the student to discuss the program and determine if a suitable placement that meets the student’s academic and career goals can be found.
How are credits earned?
Students are at a work site for a specific number of hours for the duration of the semester (110 hours per credit). Principals grant credits based on the number of hours worked. Students must also complete specific assignments and submit weekly log sheets to the teacher on a regular basis.
Co-op credits can count as two compulsory credits in category three towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Where can students be placed?
The Cooperative Education teacher will interview the student while reviewing the Cooperative Education Application form to find a placement that meets the student’s needs and career goal. The placement must also relate to a subject that is currently being taken or has been taken in previous years.
Please note that confidential information about the student cannot be provided to the employer (without parent/student consent)
Central Placement:
The following employers have requested that they be contacted by only one person from the school board. These are called "central placements". Students, parents and/or teachers are NOT to call the following employers directly:
Students applying for a central placement submit their resume electronically to: coopcentralplacement@dsbn.edu.on.ca Please indicate the employer and position applied for in the subject line of the message.
Resumes will be accepted until 4pm on Friday, February 8th. Interviews will be scheduled between February 12 (Tuesday) and February 13 (Wednesday)
The following is the list of central placement employers. Specific details regarding positions available are still being confirmed.
- Brock Athletic Injuries Clinic (afternoon placement)
- Calhoun Sportswear
- COGECO
- General Motors
- Niagara Health System (sites: Douglas Memorial, Fort Erie, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland)
- Main West Animal Hospital
- McNamara and Reynolds (interior decorators)
- Niagara Artist Company
- Niagara Falls Fire Department
- Niagara Regional Police Service
- Provincial Offences Office (Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland)
- Regional Municipality of Niagara - Human Resources Department
- Rodman Hall Arts Centre
- Shaw Festival
- St. Catharines Museum
- St. Lawrence Seaway Authority
- Thorold Fire Department
Role of the Cooperative Education Teacher
(according to Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning, Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools 2000):
- promote the cooperative education, work experience, and school-work transition programs to students, parents, staff, school councils, and potential employers
- develop pre-course counselling and interviewing procedures for all students who wish to participate
- interview and select students for community-based learning programs (using the Cooperative Education Application Form)
- follow the school board’s placement procedures for all community-based learning programs (see information about central placements and the Student Handbook)
- identify and secure placements in which students will be able to achieve the course expectations, experience growth, and develop career goals
- assess placements for suitability (see the Personalized Placement Safety Plan)
- inform employers of their role and responsibilities and of the responsibilities of the partnership prior to student placement
- organize and conduct pre-placement orientation sessions to prepare students for the work site
- develop a Personalized Placement Learning Plan for each student with the assistance of the student, the supervisor, and the teacher of the related course
- consult regularly with students, employers, supervisors, employees, and other teachers
- make regular on-site learning assessments of students at their placements (three times per student per Cooperative Education credit, at least twice through direct personal contact)
- assess and evaluate students performance
- update and adjust students’ placement learning plans as required
- assess whether placement supervision is appropriate
- organize and conduct regular integration activities (a minimum of seven hours per Cooperative Education credit)
- manage the day-to-day administration tasks associated with Cooperative Education and work experience programs (including reporting to the school administration or to the Ministry of Education)
- keep dated, anecdotal records on student placement learning assessment (documenting this meeting on the Anecdotal Monitoring form)
- help students arrange appropriate transportation to their placements
- provide health and safety instruction and information on insurance coverage
- follow Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and school board procedures for accident reporting
- liaise with guidance counsellors, school administrators, teacher-advisers, special education staff, and parents
- work with students and supervisors to ensure that any problems are dealt with immediately
Please note that failure to return the required forms in the District School Board of Niagara Student Handbook completed and signed according to the timelines established by the school may put the student’s credits in jeopardy. The student will NOT be able to start working at the placement until the forms are on file in the school. This document requires the signatures of the student, parent/guardian, teacher and placement supervisor.
Role of the Cooperative Education Employer/Supervisor
EMPLOYER
(according to Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning, Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools 2000)
- provide a safe working and learning environment
- designate one employee to be responsible for supervising and evaluating each student
- provide students with written or oral feedback after an employment interview as part of the learning experience
- help develop Personalized Placement Learning Plans by identifying workplace applications
- provide orientation and workplace health and safety training
- provide challenging learning experiences that will encourage personal growth and develop career goals
- help students function as an integral part of a team
WORK SITE SUPERVISOR
(according to Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning, Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools 2000)
sign the Work Education Agreement for to identify who provides WSIB student coverage (if the student is receiving a wage - then the employer is responsible for paying for WSIB coverage for the student) Students who do not receive a wage are covered by the Ministry of Education
- are familiar with and follow accident reporting procedures
- assist the Cooperative Education Teacher in developing realistic and challenging personalized placement learning plans for their student
- become familiar with students’ strengths and the areas in which improvement is needed
- direct and guide the students’ learning through on-site supervision
- acquaint students with company personnel and procedures
- provide placement-specific safety training
- report students absences to the cooperative education teacher immediately
- contact the Cooperative Education Teacher when concerns arise
- work with students and teachers to ensure than any problems are dealt with immediately
- review and sign the daily log sheets at the end of each week
- jointly assess the student's progress with teachers, and provide written performance appraisals
- complete the program effectiveness survey
- share their expertise with students
- help students function as an integral part of a team
Role of the Cooperative Education Student
(according to Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning, Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools 2000)
- comply with all company rules as to dress, safety codes, work schedule, and policies
- work in a courteous, responsible, and business-like manner and show appropriate initiative
- observe and comply with the rules and regulations of the placement and the school, including confidentiality requirements
- comply with school attendance policies in both the placement and classroom sessions
- submit assignments as required
- inform the placement supervisor and the Cooperative Education Teacher in advance if they are unable to report to their placements
- participate in the development and implementation of their personalized placement learning plans
- participate with their supervisors and teachers in the assessment of their own performances
- complete their course requirements to obtain credits towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma
- work with teachers and supervisors to ensure that problems are dealt with immediately
OSBIE Risk Management Advisory C-3
COOPERATIVE EDUCATION / WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS
This bulletin provides an overview of the insurance coverages that are applicable in a Cooperative education program - for the student, the employer, the board and board employees.
1. LIABILITY INSURANCE - WHO IS INSURED?
The board's liability insurance protects students, employers, and board employees while students are engaged in a specified cooperative education, work experience, job shadowing or "Take Our Kids to Work" program. If they are sued for alleged negligence arising out of the student's involvement in the work experience program, they are protected.
If an employer involves a student in work or activities outside of the program, coverage is not extended. For example, an employer may hire a co-op student to work after hours. As this activity is not part of the cooperative education program, there is no coverage through the school board's liability insurance.
2. WORKPLACE SAFETY & INSURANCE ACT
Coverage is provided under the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act to cooperative education students through the Ministry of Education and Training. Students are not covered while in a classroom or shop when acting as a teacher's aide, or when traveling to or from the training station. Workplace Safety & Insurance is not provided to students involved in other work experience programs like "Take Our Kids to Work" and jobs shadowing.
In accordance with the rules of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act, workplace accidents must be reported immediately to WSI Board.
3. STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Students who are injured accidentally while on the job may be able to claim under Student Accident Insurance, which protects students against accidental injury while at school or on a work experience project. Student Accident Insurance is valuable coverage, and should be actively promoted by school boards. Student Accident insurers usually extend coverage to students who are on work experience projects, even if the student has not voluntarily purchased the insurance.
* For the DSBN, Reliable Life does provide basic plan coverage for all DSBN students traveling to and from co-op placements even if their parent/guardian has not purchased student accident coverage. It should be noted however that this is basic coverage only and parents should be encouraged to ensure that their children/students are adequately covered.
4. NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE COVERAGE FOR COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
A) WORKING ON A NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE
Students will be protected for accidental and negligent damage they cause to a non-owned vehicle (i.e., not owned by the school board, the employer, the student or a member of the student's household) while working on it subject to a $250 deductible.
B) DRIVING A NON-OWNED AUTOMOBILE
Coverage for liability (injury to others or damage to property of others) AND coverage for physical damage to the vehicle being driven by a student is NOT extended to students on work experience programs. The policy provides excess liability coverage only when the vehicle is being driven on board business. Driving an employer's or customer's vehicle is deemed to be driving on the business of the employer, not the board. The cooperative education teacher and employer should clearly understand this fact and ensure that the student is insured under the employer's automobile liability policy.
5. DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OF EMPLOYERS
The board's liability policy extends coverage to students who damage property in their care, custody and control while involved in a work experience project subject to a $100 deductible. It should be noted that there is no coverage for intentional damage, dishonesty of students or errors & omissions.
6. RISK MANAGEMENT TIPS
Students on co-op or other job assignments should not be allowed to drive vehicles.
Employers should be informed that if they allow students to drive their vehicles, any resulting damage to vehicles must be covered by the vehicle owner's or employer's automobile insurance.
Employers are responsible for supervising and training students, both for the protection of the students and for the protection of the employer.
Students should be instructed by the teacher and the employer on health & safety issues. The use of protective equipment and safety regulations must be stressed. Occupational Health & Safety
Regulations must be addressed and followed.
The cooperative education or work experience program must be clearly described before placement is made.
Forms used in the delivery of the Cooperative Education Program
Useful Links
Streamed Videos
Safety Tip Sheets
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