13 Tips to Help your Organization Maximize the Co-op Experience

1. Before Day 1: Provide Background Information to the Student
   Prior to the student’s first day at work, forward any materials, websites, past project summaries etc., that will help the student prepare. Set up an outlook account and workstation for the student, and prepare any necessary paperwork, orientation folders, health and safety documentation, and IT support.
2. Arrange a ‘Welcome Orientation’
   This practice will promote engagement between employees and co-op students and ensures students feel welcomed, included, and alleviates possible anxiety. Orientation could include a department walkthrough, an overview of your organizational chart, a meet-and-greet with members of the team/department the student will be working with. Send a staff-wide (or department-wide) introductory email before the student’s start date encouraging members of your team to join you in welcoming the student.
3. Assign a Mentor to Co-op Students
   This increases employee engagement by providing students access to an experienced team member within the department whom students’ check in with to ask questions and receive assistance and/or support with tasks they are less familiar with. It also provides an opportunity for a current team member to gain supervision and management experience, which can support both career development and professional accreditation requirements.
4. Agree upon Performance and Co-op Learning Goals
   During the first day orientation, set aside some time to meet with the student and discuss your performance expectations and their co-op learning goals. Prior to the start of the co-op internship, students will have established co-op learning and career SMART goals. Review the position description with the student and develop agreed upon performance goals. This will help the student understand what is expected of them and provide a guide for measuring their performance and progress.
5. Schedule and Conduct Regular Meetings with Student
   Scheduling regular weekly meetings with co-op students can help students set, measure, and receive feedback on learning and performance goals, as well as identify required resources and additional task support opportunities and/or training.
6. Rotate Students Through Multiple Departments
   You will help co-op students build a holistic understanding of company operations.
7. Allow and Encourage Students to Invite Work Colleagues and Senior Staff to Lunch or Coffee
   You will help enhance the student’s connection to the company and provide opportunities to learn about your organization’s culture. By meeting and engaging in conversations with colleagues, students will engage in informal learning, better understand the organizational culture, norms, operations, processes and workflows.
8. Include Students During Staff Meetings and Training Sessions
   Give co-op students the opportunity to practice meeting etiquette and develop a greater understanding of departmental responsibilities. Even if the training isn’t relevant to students’ current position, you’ll help them learn new skills.
9. In Large Organizations, Coordinate ‘Co-op Student/Interns Coffee Socials’
   This may help encourage students to share ideas, experiences, protocols and training. As well as provide an opportunity to develop stronger social support and a network among academic peers.
10. Include Students in Extracurricular and Social Activities
    You will increase co-op students’ familiarity, comfort and sense of commitment to coworkers and to your organization. It will also help students build their professional network and informally develop stronger soft skills.
11. Facilitate Meetings Between Students and Professional Contacts
    Promote the exploration of co-op students’ career goals and the ways these goals align with your industry.
12. Involve Current Students in the Hiring of the Next Co-op Student
    This might include soliciting feedback from students as part of a job-analysis to update co-op/internship job descriptions, performance goals, and required KSAOs. You will also give co-op students the opportunity to learn how your organization screens and interviews applicants and reduce work for the hiring manager.
13. Ask Students to Complete a Presentation About Their Experiences
    This will help students develop presentation skills and illuminate opportunities for improvement. Communicate this opportunity to students in the early stages of their co-op work term so they are provided with ample time to prepare and plan the presentation.

Source: Simon Fraser University https://www.sfu.ca/hire/coop/hired/tips.html