Cooperative Education and Work Experience Programs

What is Co-operative Education?

A Venn diagram with four overlapping colored ovals representing aspects of education and career/life planning. The center black oval reads “Education and Career/Life Planning.” Surrounding it are: Top pink oval: “Who am I?” Left green oval: “What is my plan for achieving my goals?” Right yellow oval: “What are my opportunities?” Bottom blue oval: “Who do I want to become?”

Co-operative Education is a learning partnership that provides students with valuable work experience while they are earning credits towards their graduation diploma. The Co-operative Education program involves both a classroom component and community placement component.

Through these two components, the Co-operative Education course supports students in career and life planning, prepares them for successful participation in the workplace, and provides ample time and diverse opportunities during their placements to apply and further develop the knowledge and skills gained in related courses.

Goals of Cooperative Education

A hexagonal diagram with three inner sections labeled “What?”, “So What?”, and “Now What?” in green, blue, and dark blue respectively. Inside the hexagon is a circular area divided into three parts: “Participate,” “Reflect,” and “Apply,” surrounding a red figure icon with the text “Avon Maitland DSB.” The outer hexagon edges are labeled “Local,” “National,” “Global,” “Onsite,” “Blended,” and “Virtual.”

Students will develop a reflective habit of mind to derive meaning from their experiences.
Students will develop the ability to apply their learning to influence decisions and actions in various aspects of their lives.
Students will develop the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind required to become competent and confident education and career/life planners.

Course Details

Length: Full Term (semester). 2 Credits: Half Day. 4 Credits: Full Day.
Credit: Each credit must be scheduled for a minimum of 110 hours.
Description: The co-op program encompasses a Classroom Component as well as a Community Component.

A circular diagram with three overlapping inner circles labeled “Participate,” “Apply,” and “Reflect,” with arrows showing a cycle between them. At the center is a smaller circle labeled “Student.” Surrounding the inner circles is a larger ring divided into sections with the words: “Local,” “National,” “Global,” “On-site,” “Blended,” and “Virtual.” The design uses purple, blue, and yellow gradients.

Key Elements. Students will....

Build an Individualized Cooperative Education Learning Plan (CELP)
Complete mandatory pre-placement health and safety training
Gain valuable hands-on job experience
Be monitored by a co-op teacher throughout term
Utilize the experiential learning cycle to fully engage with experience

Alternative Options to Traditional Co-op

District Co-op

The AMDSB District Co-operative Education Program offers a flexible and supportive experiential learning opportunity that meets the diverse needs of our students. This program aims to engage students actively while allowing them to earn credits through hands-on, real-world work experiences. Course work is completed through a virtual learning platform.

Virtual App Development Co-op

AMDSB has teamed up with The Career Education Council (CEC) to offer students an exciting virtual co-op experience. Through the “Develop the Future” program, students gain valuable opportunities to explore career paths, develop essential skills, and engage in hands-on learning. Over the course of the semester, students collaborate with industry mentors to design, pitch, and prototype their own custom app, bringing their creative ideas to life!

Summer Co-op

Students can earn 2 co-op credits through the summer months.