Hire a co-op student
Looking for a bright, enthusiastic employee, willing to work for little to no money?

By Karen Kelly
PROFIT-X

I can still remember the anxiety attached to my first co-op placement in university. It was either a) do spectacular work and climb the first rung of the ladder of success or b) mess up and hide in my parent's basement forever. Since the basement was unfinished, I worked like crazy, got a shining reference and, in hindsight, saved the company in question a ton of cash.



Any company can benefit from this type of anxiety, which is often mistaken for enthusiasm. Even start-ups or a one-person operation are eligible to hire a student. The one criterion is that the co-op position must be something the student can learn from. "[The company] has to somehow establish that yes, this is a legitimate business and this is a legitimate co-op job," says Michael Hunt, of the University of Waterloo's Co-op Department, one of the country's finest. "It can't be cutting grass or something like that. It's a real exponential experience where someone can learn something."

First, you should identify your needs and then search for a university or community college that can meet them. Most of Canada's higher institutions have a co-op department, and if you prefer to tap into one from out-of-province, go ahead. According to Hunt, students will travel for a good opportunity.

Once you've done the background work, contact the department and speak to a coordinator. They'll give you the details about salary and work expectations, while also making sure your business is in line with the department's educational objectives. "Both sides have a responsibility up front to map out expectations," says Hunt. He adds that from his side, co-op departments are looking for an employer that will give good direction and supervision, as well as fair compensation — things that any employer would be expected to provide.

The next step is to prepare a job description that will capture the interests of students. The co-op department will post it on the institution's Intranet or on a job board. Within a month or so, resumes should trickle in and you'll start interviewing the hopefuls just as you would any "real-world" candidate.

Co-op students are available year-round, but there are seasonal considerations. "The greatest pool of students available is in the summer because all students are competing at that time," says Hunt. The hardest time to compete is fall, but Hunt says that if you have an attractive job, you won't have difficulty attracting quality students.

Apart from delivering extra help and a tax credit (which differs from province to province), a co-op student could turn out to be your next star manager. Says Hunt: "We have stories of companies that have 20 employees, where 16 are Waterloo grads and 12 of which came through co-op."

Read other pointers on How To contribute to your business success!



© 2002 Karen Kelly

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