Tel: (416) 483-3311 E-mail: cafce@cafce.ca

PD and Events » Co-operative Education Week

CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION WEEK (2012)
MARCH 19 - 23, 2012

Highlight March 19-23, 2012 on your calendar to celebrate Co-operative Education Week!

Co-operative education has been working in Canada for well over 50 years with no sign of slowing down.  With over 80,000 co-op students in Canada, organizations are able to tap into a remarkable resource of newly developed skill sets, while at the same time enhancing their workforce by meeting a variety of staffing requirements.  The Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) is a resource for co-op practitioners across Canada. Its on-line Co-op Directory is a useful tool for students and employers interested in co-operative education.  CAFCE is more than 400 members strong from colleges, universities, government and business who actively advocate and promote post-secondary co-operative education at the post-secondary level.

It is time to begin preparing to celebrate co-op successes and student achievements during Co-operative Education Week during 2012. Have an open house and invite all departments from your institution, submit articles to your local newspaper and school newspaper, send out a newsletter, do a show on the local cable channel, highlight co-op on your schools website, offer to speak at departmental, community meetings on the benefits of co-op..and don’t forget to take a couple of co-op students. Be creative and innovative. We are all experiencing economic uncertainties which is causing enormous challenges in job development and recruitment for co-op positions. It is important to get the co-op message out there and demonstrate that co-op is alive and well.

Media and Promotional Activities:

  • Download the 2012 Flyer (.doc) to insert a message about your upcoming celebration and post;
  • Publish an article in your local college/university newspaper featuring a Co-op Student at their workplace;
  • Publish advertisements in local newspapers recognizing your Co-op Employers and Co-operative Education program;
  • Feature a Co-op Student (or your Co-op Student of the Year recipient) on your campus radio station regarding their Co-operative Education experiences;
  • List Co-op Employer profiles and their history with your Co-operative Education program in your internal/external newsletters as well as on your web site;
  • Participate in a “Phone-Blitz” to encourage new companies/organizations to hire your Co-op Students;
  • Attend a trade show or company seminar to network with industry professionals;
  • Include Co-op Students when promoting your Co-operative Education program on/off campus;
  • Set up a Co-op Awareness Booth on campus to attract non-Co-op Students at your college/university or local highschool.
  • Create a contest

Social Activities:

  • In the spirit of continuing partnerships, arrange a social event for Co-op Employers, Faculty, Staff, and Students to mingle. Activities may include hosting an Open-House, a Wine-and-Cheese Reception, a Co-op Party, a Coffee & Cake Break, a Pizza Party, a Fundraiser for a local charity, or a BBQ;
  • Strengthen Co-op Employer and Student relationships by facilitating fun events such as a "Co-op Olympic Games" where they compete against each other;
  • Recognize Co-op Employers at a breakfast/luncheon/dinner and invite an established Employer as your Keynote Speaker; and
  • Host a Co-op Student Résumé Clinic or roundtable and invite Co-op Employers to participate.
  • Have your mayor or provincial government proclaim March 19-23, 2012 as "National Co-operative Education Week".  

Co-op Student and Employer Recognition Awards:

  • Create your own college/university Co-op Student the Year Award (Getting Started) and invite your Co-op Employers to nominate their outstanding Co-op Student employee(s);
  • Honour your Co-op Student of the Year recipient with a cash award/plaque/certificate during National Co-operative Education Week;
  • Nominate your college/university Co-op Student of the Year recipient for the national CAFCE Co-op Student of the Year Award;
  • established Co-op Employers by recognizing them with a plaque/certificate during National Co-operative Education Week; and
  • highlight your institution's Co-op Student of the Year winner on your institution's homepage.

We would be happy to add more ideas to the list of activities so please send your ideas to cafce@cafce.ca to share will your co-op colleagues.

Co-op Program Directory

The Co-operative Education Directory is a comprehensive listing of the post-secondary co-operative education programs of member institutions in Canada.

Select a province, then select an institution and click on the search button.