An Employer’s Guide for a Successful Work Term

Prior to the Start Date

Within the First Week

Establish a Supportive Working Relationship

Connect with the student to better understand their goals, interests, and background. Get to know who you will be working with.

Set clear expectations for hours of work, in-office days, remote work privileges if applicable, expectations, and behavior in the workplace.

Ensure your student is familiar with your organization’s policy for reporting sick days, personal days, requesting vacation time and time off for appointments.

Record your student’s emergency contact information.

Establish what their deliverables are and how you will help them achieve them. Consider the level of co-op experience your student has and prepare/adjust expectations accordingly.

Schedule regular (weekly or bi-weekly) status updates with the student to track their progress and review projects, workload, learning objectives, and performance.

Make clear how the student can ask for support/ask questions (Teams, email, phone, etc.).

Discuss a preferred course of action from the student once their work is completed and next steps.

Student Orientation  

Develop an orientation plan for your student. Carefully plan their first two or three weeks. Consider including the following:

A tour of the workplace, highlighting key areas including restrooms, kitchen, and emergency exits.

Discuss policy for breaks and lunch with the student.

In-person/virtual/email introduction(s) with their supervisor, key team members, and other co-op students, if applicable.  Identify who the student may want to connect with during their work term (mentor, senior staff, etc.).

An overview of workplace wellness programs, resources, or support systems available to employees.  Review any accommodations to ensure success in the workplace.

Establish clear expectations for phone usage, social media conduct, and AI policies.

Introduce student to acronyms or language used in your work environment

Throughout the Work Term

Progress Reports and Feedback  

Ensure your regular meetings include feedback. State your observations of their work and behavior. Be constructive, highlighting strengths and areas where the students can improve.

In the rare event that your student’s performance is consistently below expectations, the co-op office is here to support and, if necessary, intervene. Don’t hesitate to contact us when you become concerned.

You will receive an email from Co-op asking you to complete a Work Term Check-in. This will take less than 30 minutes to complete and allow you to provide a brief overview of their performance and outline any of your concerns.

Development of “Soft” Skills

In addition to the technical skills the student will develop and refine during their work term, our students are encouraged to also develop Carleton’s Career Ready Competencies. These are skills that will help them throughout their career. Your support and awareness of these competencies will help the student develop into a well-rounded, self-aware member of your team (and future teams!).

Future Work Terms

The student may approach you to ask for an extension (i.e. an additional 4-month work term). If that is acceptable to you and your organization, the student will inform the Co-op office and manage the extension process. You will be contacted by our office to confirm the details of the extension.

The student may also be job-searching and interviewing for their next work term while with your organization. It should have a minimal impact on their current job with your organization. If you notice their job search is affecting their work, please contact our office.

Site Visits  

Mid-way through the work term, a co-op staff member may contact your student to arrange a site visit to discuss the student’s progress and review any concerns.  You do not need to be part of this meeting.

At this time, a Co-op team member may request a check-in with you to obtain feedback on the Co-operative Education program.

Academic Course Registration

You may receive a request from your student to take a course during work hours. This should be refused, and the Co-op office should be notified.

As per Carleton’s Co-op Participation Agreement students are permitted to take a 0.5 credit course. All course components (lectures, labs, tutorials) must start no earlier than 4:00 pm. This rule applies regardless of whether the student works remotely and/or has flexible work hours.

In the Last Month

Work Term Report (student’s responsibility) 

Every co-op student must write a work term report at the end of their term – even in a multi-term co-op (i.e. 8 or 12 or 16 months).  It is the student’s responsibility to write it, and Carleton’s responsibility to grade it, but a supervisor must review it.

Review the report for accuracy and request changes where necessary.

Ensure there is no confidential/sensitive information included in the report.

If the report is deemed confidential by you/your organization, we ask that you grade the student’s report. Grading instructions will be sent via email.

The report is due on the 16^th of the last month of their term. (August 16^th in Summer terms, December 16^th for Fall terms, April 16^th for Winter terms).

Expect to see (or consider asking for) the report two weeks before it is due.

Work Term Evaluation (employer’s responsibility) 

You will receive an email from Co-op asking you to complete a Work Term Evaluation.

Discuss it with the student prior to submitting it online to the Co-op Office.

Submit it on or before the student’s last day.

Student Off-Boarding   

Collect any company items from students including security passes, keys, and any electronic equipment they were given.

Conduct an exit interview to obtain feedback on their experience, review skills/competencies developed, transfer ongoing projects, and enhance future students’ co-op work terms.

Fulltime Employment

After a successful co-op term (or terms) you may wish to extend an offer of permanent employment to the student. A student’s final term must be an academic one, so the student will not be available for full-time employment for at least 4, and potentially up to 8 or 12 months. You are free to extend the offer at the end of their co-op term, but the start date will be delayed.

If eligible, they can work part-time during their final academic terms.