Cooperative Education Guidelines

Student Checklist

The following describes the required steps students must complete for a Cooperative Education Work Experience. These apply to required and elective Cooperative Education.

To Find A Cooperative Education Work Site

1) Start early! Begin looking for your Co-op site at least a term before you plan to register.

2) Contact your Faculty Coordinator and Co-op Specialist. They will determine if you are eligible for Co-op and help you find a site.

3) Consider taking the Job Finding Skills class (CG 209). You will need to prepare job search tools (e.g., resumes, letters, portfolios, etc.) and practice your job search skills (e.g., cold calls, interviewing, etc.). This one credit class is offered every term in a general format.

4) Think about which companies or kinds of employers you are interested in.

5) Begin contacting employers!

Before You Begin Your Cooperative Education Work Experience

1) Let your Faculty Coordinator and Co-op Specialist know that you have a site.

2) If it is non-paid, you must have the Co-op Specialist complete a Worker’s Compensation Report form before you begin working.

3) Register for Cooperative Education. You will need a permission form from your Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist. You must have a site prior to registering. (PCC will not grant credit for work hours prior to registration.)

4) Compete the Cooperative Education forms, which include the Training Agreement and Learning Objectives. The forms must be signed by you, the employer, the Faculty Coordinator and the Co-op Specialist.

During Your Cooperative Education Work Experience

1) Work towards completing your required Co-op hours. For every 30 hours worked, you earn one credit. If your position is non-paid, you cannot work more than your registered hours.

2) If your schedule or work duties change, contact your Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist. If you have problems during your experience, contact your Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist.

3) The Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist will visit your work site once or twice during the term. If no one from PCC visits your site by finals week, contact your Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist.

4) The employer will complete a Co-op Evaluation form for your experience. You should be given a copy of your evaluation.

After Your Cooperative Education Work Experience

1) Let the Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist know when you have completed your hours.

2) If you do not finish your required Co-op hours by the end of the term, contact your Faculty Coordinator and Co-op Specialist. You will probably be granted a CIP (Course in Progress) or Incomplete to finish your hours. If you are on Financial Aid, ask your Faculty Coordinator or Co-op Specialist to notify your Financial Aid advisor. If the position in non-paid, you must have the Co-op Specialist change your Worker’s Compensation Report.

3) Add the work experience to your resume, even if it was non-paid. Consider asking the employer for a work reference.