Cooperative Education

A course that teaches through REAL experiences.

 

Co-Op Student Guide

Welcome to Cooperative Education at the College of Southern Maryland. This document is designed to assist you with the transition from the academic environment of the CSM campus to the employment environment of your worksite. This guide is targeted to students who are currently registered for Cooperative Education (co-op) in their respective program of study. If you are not registered for co-op, but are interested in preparing for this program, please refer to the “Orientation” portion of the co-op web site. The Cooperative Education experience is one of collaboration between Student, Employer, and instructor. The Department of Advisement and Career Services offers this guide, designed to enhance your employment/academic experience. It will address your responsibilities as a co-op student and offer tips on successful course completion. You will be subject to the requirements set forth by your instructor. Expectations of Employer as well as Advisor will vary from course to course.

• Co-op Instructor
• Class Schedule
• Tips for Success
• The Work Supervisor
• First Steps with Your Employer
• Designing Course Objectives
• Factors For Success on the Job
• Questions/Concerns

 

 

Co-op Instructor

Co-op is both a work experience and an academic credit course. At the time of registration you will be given the name of the instructor with whom you will work. Your instructor will contact you when the semester begins to set up a meeting. At that time, you will receive your course syllabus. Your co-op instructor will evaluate your work for academic credit by requesting assignments, reports or presentations. In addition, your instructor will contact your work supervisor for an additional evaluation of your work performance. Once your co-op experience has been completed, you will receive a grade (Pass/Fail) for the course. Remember, this is an academic course. Make sure, during that session or appointment, that you have a clear understanding of what is expected of you and how you will report your progress to your instructor.

How often will this class meet? (Class Schedule)

Some Co-op courses require weekly or monthly meetings with the instructor. Other instructors will meet individually with students at appointed times throughout the semester. Still other classes are conducted on the web with little face-to-face contact with the instructor. During these meetings you will get individual feedback about your progress. During the course of your employment, questions may arise that need to be discussed. Keep a journal of any questions you have as you begin your employment experience. You may also want to ask for feedback concerning the documentation of your employment assignment. It is advisable to address these issues and other concerns early on. During this meeting share your work product to date. A conference prior to mid-semester gives you the opportunity to make corrections and improve your chances for a valid evaluation at the end of the semester.

Tips for Success

Refer to your syllabus often during the semester. Make sure you note any deadlines for reports, projects, etc. on your personal calendar. It is easy to let deadlines slip in a class that meets infrequently and involves work responsibilities with your employer. Again, it is important to emphasize that this is an academic course. Failure to meet deadlines set by your instructor may cause you to fail the course, even though you have been an exemplary employee at the worksite.

The Work Supervisor

As a co-op student you are viewed as a representative of both the College of Southern Maryland and the employer for whom you work. Your work supervisor will be asked to evaluate your progress through the semester, with a focus on the work habits and work ethic you demonstrate. You will not be expected to be an expert in your field of study. Co-op is a learning experience and mistakes occur with even the most experienced employee. Qualities such as attendance, dependability, initiative and communication skills are examples of traits that even the most inexperienced employee is capable of demonstrating.

First Steps with Your Employer

Meet with your work supervisor to share your course syllabus and information on the topics on which s/he will be evaluating you. It is impossible to measure success in the absence of goals. Meeting with your supervisor will get the process started. You should, if at all possible, think of some objectives that you would like to achieve prior to this meeting. Your supervisor may have a list of established objectives, but the student’s input is always appreciated and reflects initiative. Share any guidelines provided by your co-op instructor.

Review with your work supervisor the specifics of your co-op experience. You and s/he will want to reach an agreement on the dates, days, and time your co-op will span. Within that time frame make a timeline of your course objectives and when each will be completed. It may be helpful to divide some of your objectives into smaller tasks. A schedule of achievement will help you stay focused on both immediate and long term goals.

Be sure to tell your supervisor the type of evaluation that will be expected of him/her. Your instructor may ask you to use the Co-op Employer Evaluation form or another form preferred by your academic department. Providing this form early on will ensure a valid summary of accomplishment at the end of your experience. It is also helpful for you to know, in advance, the aspects of work on which you will be evaluated.

Designing Course Objectives

All academic courses have a list of course objectives. They are stated in the syllabus and upon course completion each one should have been mastered. Each co-op experience is different and tailored to individual students. You will design your own course objectives, based on what you want to learn and accomplish. Your instructor will assist you with a format for objective design, but the following information will get you started.

A measurable learning objective is a statement that clearly and precisely describes what it is that you intend to learn during your work term and how you intend to measure what you have learned. Start by carefully reviewing your job and noting tasks or subject areas that you would like to master. Ideas will vary with each program of study and each job. Some sample ideas might be: learning how to design and implement a database; designing a sales campaign that would boost sales by 5%; designing and presenting a training program for new software implementation. Your objectives should be:

• Understandable – written in clear, simple language
• Challenging – difficult enough to stimulate interest, promote new learning, and be worthy of college credit
• Achievable – realistically accomplished within a semester
• Measurable – specific enough to see and prove the accomplishment

Factors for Success on the Job

Attendance:

The importance of good attendance on the job cannot be overstated. It is one of the factors that employment supervisors are required to evaluate. If you miss days at work you lose the continuity of working on assigned tasks. Your employer is depending on you to show up daily and on time. Reach agreement with your supervisor on the days and times that form your schedule. Once the plan is set, make sure you stick to it. Notify your supervisor in advance if you must miss time from work. Suggest alternatives for making up the hours (arriving early or staying late for several days). Taking initiative in making up missed time reflects well on you as an employee.

Confidentiality:

It is important to keep confidential all information received at work. In some employment situations you may see full time employees setting a bad example. Don’t let yourself get drawn into office gossip. Maintaining a professional manner and respecting confidentiality regarding people and information makes you an asset to the employer.

Questions:

When starting a new employment experience the amount of information you receive may seem overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify what is expected of you. Supervisors appreciate an employee who is not afraid to ask questions. It is far preferable to clarify components of an assignment than to spend hours on a task that may have to be redone because you did not clearly understand the requirements. Ask your supervisor to review your work product before sending it to its destination. As you become more comfortable with the job and tasks assigned your supervisor’s input will not be as crucial. As you start out don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Work Quality:

Even though your supervisor will not expect you to be an expert in all things, s/he will want an employee who wants to succeed. Take pride in your work. Neatness and accuracy do count.

Initiative:

Once you have become comfortable in your work setting and have mastered some of the tasks assigned, look for opportunities to be of help to your employer. Volunteer for additional assignments. Make sure you meet deadlines as far ahead as possible to insure the job is done correctly. Don’t sit and wait for the next assignment. If you see something that needs to be done, take action. Your energy and enthusiasm will be noticed.

Constructive Criticism:

Suggestions will be made on improvement of your work. You should expect this. You are just getting started in your career field. One of the purposes of co-op is obtaining experience. Don’t take criticism personally. Think of it as a suggestion for improvement of your work product. Remember to always approach a supervisor calmly and professionally, when discussing your performance.

Personal Appearance:

Pay attention to your appearance and general hygiene. No one expects you to spend a fortune on a work wardrobe, but make sure clothes are neat and clean. Try to dress in a similar style to those with whom you work. If your work site is casual make sure your wardrobe is neutral. Attire suitable for a party may not be right for work. Stay away from logos, pictures, or wording on clothing that might offend someone. Your best bet is to save those items for personal time and stay with professional styles for work.

Your ultimate goal for co-op is to benefit from the opportunity of education in a work environment. If done well, one outcome will be a strong addition to your resume and positive professional letters of recommendation. In some cases this experience may transition to permanent employment. Take advantage of this opportunity and make this a quality experience that positively impacts your future.

Questions/Concerns

If I have a personal emergency that requires missing a few days of work, will this have an impact on completion of co-op?

It very well may, which is why advanced planning is so important. Try to postpone any appointments that can wait until the semester is over. If you have to miss a day or 2 due to illness, make sure you contact your supervisor to let him/her know why you are absent. If something happens that will involve more than 3 days, confer with your supervisor right away. Depending on the nature of the work site or your emergency, make up days may be possible. You will also want your instructor to be aware of the situation.

What happens to my co-op course if my supervisor leaves the company?

If this is done with advance notice your supervisor will assign another person to oversee your work. If this event is sudden and you are without a supervisor, confer with the next level supervisor to see who will be designated to supervise you. Notify your Faculty Advisor about the change.

What if the work site or supervisor turns out to be a poor match for my skills and I have concerns about my progress?

Sometimes this feeling is due to “opening day jitters” and it can last for more than a day. Give yourself a chance to become acclimated to your new environment. If you still have concerns after a couple of weeks on the job, talk to your instructor about the situation. S/he will help you plan options to resolve your concerns.

What can be done if I have trouble connecting with my instructor?

You will be given the name, phone and email of your Advisor so this should not be a problem. If they have agreed to keep in touch and you have not heard from them at the appointed time, take the initiative to contact them. It could be a communication breakdown and they are waiting to hear from you. If after a couple of attempts you still have not heard from them, contact the office of the academic department for your co-op. The office manager or department chair will make sure your message gets delivered and things get back on track.