In conjunction with our colleagues in Acadia’s Co-operative Education Program, we would like to alert members of our alumni community to a wonderful opportunity to help current students to a brighter future by providing work terms for them.

Does your organization have a need that can be met by hiring an Acadia Co-op student?

As a member of Acadia University’s alumni community, you have the opportunity to help Acadia students work toward a brighter future. Helping Co-op students secure work terms is a great way to give back to Acadia! Please share this with others in your organization.

Co-operative Education (Co-op) is an academic program that gives students the opportunity to apply the concepts they learn in the classroom to real-life work environments. The value of Co-op students to an organization can be limitless, as they are eager to learn and contribute. A Co-op student is a great resource for any organization looking to fill a vacancy, whether it be to complete a special project, or assist with ongoing activities within your organization. Co-op is also a great long-term recruitment strategy as it provides a mechanism through which you can evaluate potential new employees with very low risk. We have students in Business, Computer Science, Arts, Science and Community Development. All Co-op students have completed at least two years of their degree, maintain a minimum required grade-point average, with many having relevant work and/or volunteer experience. In addition, all students have completed a series of professional development workshops to ensure they are ready for the workplace.

Positions must be paid, discipline-related, and provide full-time employment for at least 12 weeks. If you are interested in posting a position with us, you can do so on our Acadia Co-op Portal by clicking ‘Register’ underneath the ‘Employers’ icon. Your registration will be approved within 1-2 business days. Alternatively, you can provide us with a job description, application instructions, and the application deadline via email and we will post the job opportunities within 24 hours of receipt. Job descriptions should include the following:

1. Position title, Start and End Dates, Hourly Wage, Hours per week, Work Location and Program of Study
2. Duties: Detail activities the student will be expected to perform
3. Supervisor: Identify the person the student will directly report to over the duration of the placement
4. Education level: Identify number of years and type of post-secondary education required to fulfill job tasks
5. Required competencies: The measurable or observable knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors critical to successful job performance
6. Work term outcomes: Detail the expectations of what the student should achieve by the completion of the work term

There are various funding programs available through the provincial and federal government to assist with the cost of hiring a co-op student. Visit https://co-op.acadiau.ca/funding-for-employers.html for more information. Note that some funding programs only accept applications during certain times of the year.

For more information on Acadia University’s Co-op program and available funding options, please visit https://co-op.acadiau.ca or contact us at 902-585-1232 or co-op@acadiau.ca