Education

6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2018 By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press Brandon University students will benefit from hands-on work experience this fall through a brand new co-operative education program. Set to launch in September, the co-op program offers students an opportunity to gain real-life insight into their chosen field. For its inaugural year, the co-op experience will be offered in nine programs at Brandon University: applied disaster and emergency studies, biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, geology, history and public history, physics and astronomy, and sociology. The program will help students make a smoother transition from post-secondary education into the workplace. "When students graduate with applied experiences like co-op, they bring even more valuable skills to their future employers," says Kelley Mitton, BU's Co-Operative program Co-ordinator. "This is a program that benefits students, yes, and also benefits employers." Co-op experience also helps prevent students from graduating and entering the workforce for the first time before discovering that they don't actually prefer their chosen field. Through the co-op program, students have the chance to try working in their discipline. If they find it's not right for them, they can change their direction. "Changing your major in second year is a win," Mitton says. "Deciding you didn't like what you studied after you graduated, that's a loss." Co-op students also learn how to best present themselves to prospective employers. "It gives them a leg up in how to write great resumés and cover letters," Mitton says. "There are workshops on different interview styles and how to create your brand so you can really speak to your strengths." Co-op education is optional at Brandon University, and each department has varying requirements to get into the program. "Different departments can add an element of customization because they know their students best," Mitton says. "We are a small university so we have more flexibility in being able to customize the program when needed. We can offer a certain level of one-on-one support that some of the big universities might not be able to offer." Students pay a one-time fee when they enter the program and they also pay to participate in each work term. To graduate with the co-op designation, students must complete three work terms, and they earn three elective credits for each one. They also earn a salary for work completed during the work term. However, co-op students are not guaranteed a job. Instead, they need to go through the interview process and be selected by the employer for a position. "We're also training them in how to find their own jobs, how to network, how to create their own opportunities. It's important that they learn these skills and make that transition," Mitton says. "Co-op gives them more tools in their toolbox to better navigate in the workplace." For each work term, the students will set an academic objective and a professional objective. Then they will reflect on these objectives in a self-assessment report and provide a presentation to professors, peers and business contacts. "It's a public presentation to talk about the experience. Their departments are strongly encouraged to come and give feedback, and they're marked on that as well," Mitton says. "We're also going to be doing weekly assignments that are very focused on communication in the workplace, open- mindedness, leadership skills. All of these things contribute to a healthy work environment." For the initial offering of the co-op program, students will participate in full- time work placements primarily in the summer, working 35 hours per week for up to 16 weeks. Eventually, the program might even be able to accommodate part-time work terms throughout the year. "Those are future wishes and dreams, but we're really excited to be launching this in September. We've had lots of interest with the students and even more interest from the faculty," Mitton says. "They're all really excited and on board with the program. A lot of them see it as an opportunity to get their students out into the workplace. We want our students to be successful. We want them to be gainfully employed and feeling like they're making a positive contribution." For more information about Brandon University's co-op program, visit BrandonU.ca/Co-op. ❚ BRANDON UNIVERSITY Brandon University's new co-operative education program will help students make a smoother transition from post- secondary education into the workplace. Supplied photos BRANDON U LAUNCHES CO-OP PROGRAM

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