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What is Cooperative Education?
Cooperative Education is an educational program that integrates classroom theory with practical experience in the workplace. The program is based on a partnership between the school and a business or community organization. It involves the participation of students, teachers and placement supervisors. This is a credit-earning program.
Teachers are responsible for selecting students for the program. They work with placement supervisors and subject-related teachers to develop a Personalized Placement Learning Plan (PPLP) that is designed to complement the students’ strengths, interests, and needs, thus enhancing the students’ preparation for the future.
Placement supervisors guide the student’s learning through appropriate training and supervision. The supervisor meets with the teacher to assist with the development of the Personalized Placement Learning Plan (PPLP) and to provide formative evaluation of the student’s work performance.
Cooperative Education may be the culmination of a series of experiential learning opportunities that include job shadowing, job twinning and work experience. It is an integral part of School-work Transition Programs, including Specialized Programs such as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), International Cooperative Education Program (ICE), High Performance Athlete Program, Alternate Education Programs and SALEP Programs. Cooperative Education is also recognized as an excellent program for students to gain a “step-up” for entry into post-secondary institutions.
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