Co-op Education

A co-operative education program integrates a student’s academic studies with work experience in co-operative education employer organizations. The plan is for the student to alternate periods of experience in appropriate fields of business, industry, government, social services and the professions in accordance with the following criteria:

• each work placement is developed and/or approved by the College as a suitable learning situation;
• the co-operative education student is engaged in productive work rather than merely observing;
• the co-operative education student receives remuneration for the work performed;
• the co-operative education student’s progress on the job is monitored by the College;
• the co-operative education student’s performance on the job is supervised and evaluated by the student’s co-operative education employer;
• the total co-operative education work experience is usually not less than twenty-five percent of the time spent in academic study.

Co-operative education plays an integral role in Red River College Polytechnic’s mission of providing high-quality educational and training opportunities. Co-operative education at Red River College Polytechnic is delivered through a decentralized system in order to reflect the unique situation of each department and ensure relevance to the industry served by the program.

All certificate and diploma programs at Red River College Polytechnic which are designated as co-operative education programs comply with the definition based upon the by-laws of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL).

Work-Integrated Learning

Work-Integrated Learning Coordinators are ready to assist your organization in hosting student work experiences as an employer partner. 

WIL placements, such as co-op and field placements, provide students with an opportunity to further develop their skills related to their academic discipline under the supervision and mentorship of employers with the support of a WIL Coordinator.

Benefits of WIL Partnerships

• Accessing diversely talented and highly motivated students
• Offering additional resources for special projects and general support
• Giving you regular input into industry-responsive College curricula
• Developing internal leadership through supervision, mentorship and coaching
• Helping to train your workforce

Students in WIL

• Bring enthusiasm and new ideas and approaches
• Are an ideal resource to fill temporary human resource needs during staff leaves and for short-term projects
• Are often at the end of their program and can be developed to support permanent positions

Become a WIL Partner

If you are interested in becoming a WIL partner and would like to learn more about potential wage subsidies available to you via Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Partners, visit our employers page or contact us at WIL@rrc.ca.

Career Bridge Career Portal

Career Bridge is a complimentary online resource for posting WIL and career opportunities targeted at RRC Polytech students and alumni. 

Create a Career Bridge account and begin posting employment opportunities ›
See detailed instructions on how to use Career Bridge ›

Program Timelines

For more information about specific programs, please contact the WIL Coordinator dedicated to that offering.