Co-op

UVic Co-op offers Real Life Learning

At UVic, learning extends beyond the classroom. Through our co-operative education program (co-op), students alternate terms in class with paid work terms in positions related to their fields of study. Co-op is collaborative—students, employers and the university all play a part.

What are the benefits?

Students: You’ll graduate with a great résumé, relevant work experience, contacts in your field, extra cash and a better chance of career success right after graduation.
Employers: You’ll benefit from students’ skills and fresh ideas, cost-effective recruitment, exposure for your business and engagement with UVic.

What is Co-Op?

Co-op is a semester spent working rather than studying. It allows students to apply their academic knowledge and learn how to best apply it in a business environment. Essentially, co-op is classroom lessons put into action; it is where school meets work.

Employers: Why hire a Co-Op?

You’ll benefit from students’ skills and fresh ideas, cost-effective recruitment, exposure for your business and engagement with UVic.

§ Cost-effective recruitment: Each work term gives you a four-month interview of a potential future employee. Many employers hire former co-op students after graduation, which means lower recruitment and training costs and higher employee retention.

§ Flexibility: As a co-op employer, you’ll have year-round hiring access to hundreds of enthusiastic, highly capable student employees available for work terms beginning in January, May and September. Co-op students can help you undertake extra projects not funded in your base budget and lend relief to your regular staff during peak periods.

§ Access to resources: UVic Co-op students come from a wide range of academic disciplines, so you’ll be able to find your perfect job candidate. Our students bring fresh ideas, modern academic knowledge and specialized skills to your workplace.

§ Professional support: Every UVic co-op student has undergone academic screening and a workplace preparation process. When you hire a UVic co-op student, you’re also hiring a personalized, professional support system. You’ll be immediately assigned a co-op coordinator who’s there to help you at every stage of the process.

§ Community relationships: When you become a co-op employer, you also become a valued partner in UVic education. We’ll consider you a co-educator, and you’ll have the opportunity to exchange ideas and even undertake joint research with the University.

Students: Why apply for Co-Op?

You’ll graduate with a great résumé, relevant work experience, contacts in their field, extra cash and a better chance of career success right after graduation. You can:

§ Try out different jobs working for employers in your field

§ Graduate with a great résumé packed with relevant work experience

§ Build a valuable network of contacts and reference

§ Earn income to help pay for tuition – the average monthly undergrad co-op salary is $2,700 and the average grad co-op salary is $3,225+.

§ Clarify your strengths, interests and goals

§ Build competencies and learn to market yourself to employers

§ Boost your chances of landing a great job after graduation

“UVic’s co-op program has provided me with the opportunity to build relationships and connect with the Victoria business community. My position at Vancouver Island Technology Park has given me hands on experience writing business cases and working with local entrepreneurs. This job has been invaluable in expanding my skill set outside of the classroom.”Fiona Nordean, past co-op student with VITP and 10,000th placement from the UVic Peter B. Gustavson School of Business.

Vancouver Island Technology Park