SFU Co-OP
 

is anyone here in SFU co-op? can you explain your experiences and whats it like etc.. Does every program have co-op? like for example econ?

http://www.sfu.ca/coop/

theres not much to coop... its where you get hired that you may or may not find beneficial.

coop is like:
you go to workshops
hand in application
see all the job postings
apply similiar like you apply for regular jobs

the differ is that all the postings are for temp positions either for 4 or 8 months

relatively higher pay?
work experience in related fields to build onto your career?

^

In terms of how much u get, it depends on the position. It's really beneficial for your future if you are goin to apply for jobs related to your field as a fresh graduate. If you are lucky, you might like the place u do coop at and once u grad it's easy for you to get rehired...so yea it's a really good thing if you do coop, you can at least take a break from school, get paid, and network at the same time

I should've joined coop earlier, i joined in my 3rd year and got a job once. I wanna grad soon so im not doing it anymore

is co-op during school or when you have to take time off for it?

Co-op is during school semesters, with approval from your employers you may be able to take a course or 2 during your co op work term. Since co-op terms are usually full time placements during the semester, you'll be working around 40 hrs a week. Pay depends on what type of jobs and company hires you. Also might also depends on many other factors like how many work terms you've had before, what type of degree you have and etc.

ah ok. Anyone going for econ as a major and doing co-op?

highly recommend co-op especially if you're in a field where it's hard to find that first job. here are my tips, some I learned the hard way.

- apply for anything that is relevant even if it is slightly out of your comfort zone. if you think you can do it, or think you can learn to do it try anyways. you'll be surprised at the amount of jobs where employers don't have much to work with. I didn't get lots of job i think i'm good at and I got one that I thought I sucked at.
- work experience can be more important than school. I learned this the hard way by trying to balance a part time coop job and school. if I had to do it over again I would rather take work experience and delay school for a few months and do a better job at work.
- coop lets you meet people and build contacts. super important for your career.
- and for my last tip, just so you don't think i work for coop (haha) is don't stop looking at just the coop job board. you may find similar or better jobs outside so throw around your resume everywhere. if you can't find a job you want maybe even try volunteer at a lower position at the job you want. pay cut now for a better career later.

temporary job for 1 semester, might get hired after might not.

Michelin Man certainly knows what he is talking about. Spring 08 is my very last semester at SFU and during my many years in university, I did 3 co-op terms, one of which I actually DID work for SFU Co-op. Getting experience through co-op as well as volunteering in student clubs made an incredible difference not only in making school more fun, but giving me the experience and connections necessary for the real world. 4 months ago, I took on a p/t job in my field and they just offered me a f/t permanent position starting as soon as I get back from my grad trip. It's been a pretty sweet deal and I think I have a huge hand up from many of my other friends who I've seen struggle for months after grad getting rejected and ignored while job hunting. Seriously, the job market is tough and if you graduate with zero experience, you're gonna end up with a much worse job compared to those who chose to "waste" a year doing co-op. Just my 2 cents!

^ Definitely agree. I'm currently in coop for crim and was dismayed at the lack of crim related jobs. I did end up applying for a a job at the CBSA and a couple other places, but after the CBSA exam and interview, I got cut.

Despite this, what I've learnt is that you really do have to go out of your comfort zone to find jobs, if your field isn't something like business (of which there seem to be innumerable postings). I realized this too late into the semester, but hopefully this can help someone else out.

Hey do you guys know when the is the absolute latest you can apply for co-op in your academic career?

I'm pretty sure you can't once you're a 4th year student (one semester before graduation, etc... ).. is that right?

Correct. It's weird though because I am finishing my third year, and while this September will technically be the start of my fourth year, I was let in (and will hopefully be placed somewhere in the Fall). I had been pondering about whether to do Co Op for the past year and a half, glad I grabbed the opportunity in time.

btw, you have to take bol I and bol II in order to be able to take co-op @ sfu. is easy, but a waste of time imo

just a heads up im a seeking student atm most jobs that I see if you are a business major are MIS, Accounting and HR related jobs... there's practically no finance jobs available so if you are around that field be sure to look outside of vancouver and hopefully use your connections if you have any

I believe latest u can apply for co-op during your academic career is 2 semesters before you graduate.

What's the GPA for Co-op? is it 2.67 or 3? I can't remember

2.5

Note that getting a co-op position (depending on field) is pretty competitive, especially for business related positions. Employers will look at your transcript/GPA when you apply for the position. If your GPA is low, consider taking a few extra courses or retaking some courses to bring your GPA up before applying.

I am interested in Coop and the program requires a commitment of a minimum of 3 work terms. Unfortunately, I might not have the time to complete 3 work terms as I'm already behind. I have heard lots of stories about people applying, doing 1 work term and not doing the two other ones as required.

How do you simply quit the coop program? Would you have to talk to the Coop coordinator and does anything happen to you after? Bad reputation, etc?

If you complete 3 or more work terms, then it will go on your transcript.

From my understanding, there is no difference other than what I mentioned above.

So you can complete 1 or 2 work terms just to gain some work experience.

You don't have to quit the co-op program. Just don't apply for additional work terms.

I was told that your GPA does not matter when applying for coop. Long as your in "good academic standing", meaning not on probation. But, getting the job you want with low GPA is another story.

Yup, that was what I was trying to say ;)

i did sfu co-op when i was going to sfu, and i would definately recommend it. agreed that some of the positions out there aren't the greatest, but they definately look good on your resume and employers look at all past related experience. if anything, it gives you an edge when employers look at resumes, and you are more likely to get hired when compared to someone with no experience.

from my experience, i took co-op and got hired with my current company even before i completed my schooling, and all because of my work experience.

How much GPA matters depends on the job. Although, for most jobs, how you come across in the interview probably matters the most for landing the job.

For ENSC (and, I assume, sciences as well), GPA is looked at quite a bit when applying for research-related positions--because no undergraduate would have the skills they need anyways, and GPA is indicative of your ability to learn. More technical jobs would be inclined to look at your skill set as well. However, there are other jobs (i.e., project co-ordinator, etc.), that look more at your personality in the interview.

This is why it's important to tailor your resume and cover letter for each job you apply for. ;)