›
To take part in discussions on talkSFU, please apply for membership (SFU email id required).

Co-op for me

TiNgLu_SiNgH
edited November 2008 in General
Hello, I dont know if this is the right forum to be posting this in but what is this co-op business and should I be doing it too? Is it a degree requirement or just an option? I have no idea who to ask so maybe one of you guys can help me out...

Comments

  • imelting
    edited November 2006
    coop is pretty much like taking a term (or two) to go work at some company/firm/research etc, which is arranged through the school, there is an application process, and its not a degree requirement, students do it to get some work experience in the field they are studying

    you take a lil longer to graduate, but some of my frds who hav done it say its worth it~ a couple got offers right after they grad from the same company they coop'ed for too
  • Mac83
    edited November 2006
    http://www.sfu.ca/coop/students.html
  • johnny
    edited November 2006
    Everyone that takes it says that it was a very good decision. Check out the link that Mac posted, should give you a lot more 411 on co-op. It delays getting your degree though thats the only downside to it I guess....theres something else that you get credits for working I cant remember what its caled
  • Mike Jones
    edited November 2006
    Co-Op is awesome, i have two smesters of co-op coming up in the spring and summer really looking forward to getting away from classes for a while.
  • nicole
    edited October 2008
    This is super old, but is anyone on a work term right now, or have been in the past?

    I had an interview today, one tomorrow, and one on Monday...I'm wondering when we hear back and, if it's soon, how long we have to make a decision???
  • Makall
    edited October 2008
    Wait, you're already getting interviewed? This is for the Spring term right? There's still like 2+ months left...
  • nicole
    edited October 2008
    Scary stuff, yes! One company said they're making a decision next week...crazy in advance.
  • vonnie
    edited October 2008
    :( No Interviews for me yet :(
  • nicole
    edited October 2008
    You're in Business, right Vonnie? My bf was interviewing students for an internship at his company, and he said that apparently there's 3 co-op jobs at SFU for every one Business student...so I'm sure you'll be hired in a breeze.
  • Myname
    edited October 2008
    What are the chances of actually getting hired?

    Since it's just co-op for 3 months and it's setup by the school and it's mostly a learning experience, they don't really have much of a hiring standard right.
  • Agentbob
    edited October 2008
    Myname;39413 said:
    What are the chances of actually getting hired?

    Since it's just co-op for 3 months and it's setup by the school and it's mostly a learning experience, they don't really have much of a hiring standard right.
    Quite high believe or not. Since it's only3 months, if the company realize they hire a lazy worker they can easily let him/her go without going through the process of getting him fired. Not only that, the pay isn't that great. I know someone who worked at IBM as a code monkey, and only making $16/hr. That's pretty low compared to the industry standards.
  • nicole
    edited October 2008
    4 months, but same deal.

    90% of the students hired are asked to extend their term and, when you`re with companies eg. Ernst and Young, they`re basically looking to hire you full-time as you get your degree (albeit, slowly).

    It`s a pretty low-ball trade-off in terms of what you`re paid, but the opportunity with some companies is incredible.
  • vonnie
    edited October 2008
    nicole;39379 said:
    You're in Business, right Vonnie? My bf was interviewing students for an internship at his company, and he said that apparently there's 3 co-op jobs at SFU for every one Business student...so I'm sure you'll be hired in a breeze.
    Well, there's such a surplus of us that the competition is incredibly high.
  • vonnie
    edited November 2008
    =D Got my first interview on Wednesday :)
  • PhilBPhilB
    edited November 2008
    vonnie;39426 said:
    Well, there's such a surplus of us that the competition is incredibly high.
    Er...I'm not a business student, so maybe I'm not smart enough to understand these fancy principles. However, if, as Nicole said, there are 3 Co-Op jobs for each business student, then there is not a surplus, there is a deficit, thus lowering competition.

    Phil
  • nicole
    edited November 2008
    Congrats Vonnie!

    That's just what I've heard. Maybe it reflects on when you're out of co-op aka in the real workplace? There's lots of opportunity, I suppose it depends on how good the opportunity is?

    And I accepted the events assistant position with Big Brothers for the Spring! Exciting!
  • vonnie
    edited November 2008
    Well, it depends what business concentration you're in. There's no doubt that Accounting students take up 70% of the jobs that are posted. But the rest of us... Entrepreneurship, MIS, Management science... we don't get much lol.

    So really, for me, it's not 3 jobs per person, but like 1 job for every 15 students.

Leave a Comment