Co-op Education has Rewards and Risks
Stuart Nachbar
December 08, 2008
The December 4th Chronicle of Higher Education had an interesting story on college sponsored cooperative education programs. Cooperative education, more commonly known as co-op, alternates periods of school and work.
At some schools, such as Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA), Northeastern University (Boston, MA), Rochester Institute of Technology (NY), and the University of Cincinnati, co-op is weaved into an entire degree program, expanding completion into five years, but also allowing students to get a considerable amount of work experience before graduation. Nothing beats a combination of excellent grades and work experience for finding a good job.
I have met co-op graduates, as well as counselors at these schools, among others, over the past ten years. But until this Chronicle story came out, I was not aware that co-op students could be laid off by their employers. See the story at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i15/15a01801.htm.
The story made me think: what are the risks of pursuing a co-op program versus a more traditional degree? There had to be others besides the possibility of being laid off.
At first, I thought there was the cost of the extra year of school for the institutions listed above. But, according to the Chronicle story, co-op students do not pay tuition while they are working full-time. Besides, there are other options for co-op at two-year and four-year schools that do not add any time to degree completion. Different schools have different ways to make co-op work. Students and parents should ask questions of each co-op school they visit and shop around.
The most structured programs, the five-year degrees, are of best advantage to students who know their major from day one. In these programs, co-op is used to build on experiences at work and school. In other words, you might start with a company during the second half of sophomore yearm then receive more challenging assignments with the same company, or a new employer, during junior and senior years. Those who perform the best at work and school become very attractive candidates for full-time employment. They compete quite well against graduates of prestigious schools.
For students who walk into college with no idea of what they want to study, the five-year co-op program can be a very difficult path towards a degree. A resume that shows "bounces" between assignments because of a change in major will be weaker than one that shows progress in the same course of study. And the degree could take more than five years to complete, if a student constantly changes majors.
Another advantage of the five year programs is that students learn corporate culture, as well as work responsibilities. Every employer is different. Some companies may be fast-paced, others more laid back. Some may hand considerable responsibility to young workers, others may give them more basic and routine tasks. Perfect matches between employers and co-op employees can lead to great careers. Counselors work very hard to make them happen. There is a downside risk to the school and the student if they fail. But mismatches do happen.
The most comprehensive co-op programs are usually located in major metropolitan areas whith large numbers of employers. They have to be. For most students, co-op will need to be close to school or to home. Co-op is a great program for commuters; the costs of finding a temporary home for a semester can be prohibitive. I know that students can work this out amongst themselves on the Internet, for example, to find a sublet. But some metro areas are more expensive than others. The jump in housing costs from, say Rochester to New York City, will be shocking.
The Chronicle story probably made the most important point: if you´re serious about co-op, choose a school in a city with a strong local economy that might also be an appealing place to live after graduation. A region that has experienced considerable job loss will be a less attractive place to find a permanent position. It cannot absorb all of the co-op graduates into the workforce.
Contact Stuart Nachbar at http://www.EducatedQuest.com, a blog on education politics, policy and technology or read about his first book, The Sex Ed Chronicles, a novel on education and politics in 1980 New Jersey, at http://www.SexEdChronicles.com.
At some schools, such as Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA), Northeastern University (Boston, MA), Rochester Institute of Technology (NY), and the University of Cincinnati, co-op is weaved into an entire degree program, expanding completion into five years, but also allowing students to get a considerable amount of work experience before graduation. Nothing beats a combination of excellent grades and work experience for finding a good job.
I have met co-op graduates, as well as counselors at these schools, among others, over the past ten years. But until this Chronicle story came out, I was not aware that co-op students could be laid off by their employers. See the story at http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i15/15a01801.htm.
The story made me think: what are the risks of pursuing a co-op program versus a more traditional degree? There had to be others besides the possibility of being laid off.
At first, I thought there was the cost of the extra year of school for the institutions listed above. But, according to the Chronicle story, co-op students do not pay tuition while they are working full-time. Besides, there are other options for co-op at two-year and four-year schools that do not add any time to degree completion. Different schools have different ways to make co-op work. Students and parents should ask questions of each co-op school they visit and shop around.
The most structured programs, the five-year degrees, are of best advantage to students who know their major from day one. In these programs, co-op is used to build on experiences at work and school. In other words, you might start with a company during the second half of sophomore yearm then receive more challenging assignments with the same company, or a new employer, during junior and senior years. Those who perform the best at work and school become very attractive candidates for full-time employment. They compete quite well against graduates of prestigious schools.
For students who walk into college with no idea of what they want to study, the five-year co-op program can be a very difficult path towards a degree. A resume that shows "bounces" between assignments because of a change in major will be weaker than one that shows progress in the same course of study. And the degree could take more than five years to complete, if a student constantly changes majors.
Another advantage of the five year programs is that students learn corporate culture, as well as work responsibilities. Every employer is different. Some companies may be fast-paced, others more laid back. Some may hand considerable responsibility to young workers, others may give them more basic and routine tasks. Perfect matches between employers and co-op employees can lead to great careers. Counselors work very hard to make them happen. There is a downside risk to the school and the student if they fail. But mismatches do happen.
The most comprehensive co-op programs are usually located in major metropolitan areas whith large numbers of employers. They have to be. For most students, co-op will need to be close to school or to home. Co-op is a great program for commuters; the costs of finding a temporary home for a semester can be prohibitive. I know that students can work this out amongst themselves on the Internet, for example, to find a sublet. But some metro areas are more expensive than others. The jump in housing costs from, say Rochester to New York City, will be shocking.
The Chronicle story probably made the most important point: if you´re serious about co-op, choose a school in a city with a strong local economy that might also be an appealing place to live after graduation. A region that has experienced considerable job loss will be a less attractive place to find a permanent position. It cannot absorb all of the co-op graduates into the workforce.
Contact Stuart Nachbar at http://www.EducatedQuest.com, a blog on education politics, policy and technology or read about his first book, The Sex Ed Chronicles, a novel on education and politics in 1980 New Jersey, at http://www.SexEdChronicles.com.
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