Why You Should Apply to the Co-op Program

My co-op journey began in my first semester of grade 11. It was a few weeks into my AP English class and I quickly realized that I hated it. Frantically, on the last day to switch classes, I ran into my guidance counsellor's office and asked him what course I could replace it with. Unfortunately, since it was the last day to switch a class, nothing was available but he told me I should consider joining co-op. Prior to that, I had no idea what co-op was, but I visited the co-op coordinator to learn more and reluctantly, I joined. My placement was at an organization called “BioTalent Canada” which helps stimulate the bio-economy and was located in downtown Ottawa. From the second I walked into that office, I can easily say my career path changed for the better.

One of the main reasons you should join co-op is because you get to explore a variety of career paths. When you’re young, it doesn’t look bad on a resume to switch jobs frequently, but this luxury slowly disappears the more senior your position gets. As students, we’re in our prime time to try different roles while applying what we’ve learnt in our University classes. To make matters even better, 100% of co-op students in TRSM found a placement last year. It’s also important to try different paths since you can find out not only what you do like, but more importantly what you don’t. I worked at BioTalent for every summer since my co-op until I permanently moved to Toronto. I transitioned from a co-op student, to an Administrative Assistant to a Project Assistant last year. Before my term as a Project Assistant, I was going to minor in accounting and I told my colleagues, so they graciously let me work with their accounting team. From this experience, I quickly realized that accounting wasn’t the right path for me, a realization I never would have made if I didn’t have the real world experience at BioTalent. I may have loved accounting class, but the real world application wasn't the right fit. It’s much better that you learn you love or hate something now rather than half way through your career after graduation.

Co-op is also a wonderful way to create lasting and meaningful connections. I was rehired twice by BioTalent which eliminated the stress of finding a summer job and guaranteed me a position which would actually benefit my future career rather than waitressing which I was doing before. Yes, I miss the tips, but I can tell you my feet hurt a lot less now and it feels good to have a job that actually helps prepare you for your future career.

In addition, I also received a Linkedin recommendation from the CEO of the organization which is impressive for future employers when they browse my profile. Along with the recommendation, I was able to meet people who have shaped a lot of the decisions I’m making during my University experience now. Hearing advice from people who have been in my shoes and knew me personally gave me great insight about the career I want to pursue and I ended up switching my minor from accounting to communications because my desk was right outside the office of my co-worker who was the Director of Marketing, a position I aspire to work in one day. She suggested it, and I can honestly say it was great advice and I’m thoroughly enjoying pursuing my minor.

Along with the connections comes what I believe is the most important reason why you should join co-op. To find a job after University. If you are a part of the co-op program at TRSM, you have the opportunity to work at 4 different places, which means you have 4 companies you can easily apply to for a job after graduation where your chances of getting re-hired are higher than any of your competition due to your work experience and connections you already established at the company during your term. Even if you’re not sold on working at one of your placements again, you can leverage your network at the companies to meet someone at a company you do want to work for. In addition, you leave University with a strong foundation of professional experience which will mean you’ll have a resume that will help differentiate yourself from the thousands of other students going for jobs similar to the ones you want and the experience will give you great conversation points for your future interviews and networking sessions where you can speak from your past experiences during your co-op terms.

Now after hearing all these reasons to join co-op, you may still think it’s not the best idea. Some reasons students say they won’t join is because it lengthens the amount of time it takes to finish your degree. This is a true statement, but the end goal of getting a degree is to find a job that you're passionate about and not only does co-op aid in you finding the right job, but you spend just as much time in the workforce with or without co-op. The only difference is that your time working is simply spread out and integrated into your time as a student.

Another common rebuttal is that co-op takes away from a year of potential earnings. That statement isn’t true. You earn money during your co-op placements and end up earning enough to cover the cost of tuition for the year and have more to spare. According to the Ryerson wide co-op website, a student can earn up to $25 per hour in their placement which is a $48,000 yearly salary. If your tuition costs $7000, that leaves you with $41,000. Students themselves have also said co-op has helped support them financially. Noel Jacob from Chemical Engineering shared that "The financial compensation received from co-op work terms was substantial and helped cover university expenses. All things considered, the co-op program was a very fulfilling and rewarding experience."

Now, you may say that they already know what career path you want to pursue. As happy as I am for you, I had the exact same mindset until I joined co-op and now I’m no longer on the balance sheet, number-crunching path I thought I wanted so badly. You never know if you really love something until you try it and it’s never a bad idea to explore your options. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain from a co-op placement.

I came to Ryerson specifically because of the outstanding co-op program and as someone who had the experience in high school to explore a variety of positions, create meaningful connections and secure a job once my term was completed, I can confidently tell you that it has been an experience which has genuinely changed my life. It confirmed that I’m making career decisions which are right for my future and I hope that you, too, apply to feel the same sense of confidence and excitement towards your future career through co-op.