Simon Fraser University Student Co-op Program goes Online

The Vancouver Sun, October 2, 2002 p D10.

The Co-op Student Program at the Simon Fraser University has been offered since 1995 to help students identify and use their skills and knowledge beyond those places where they were learned. Students apply for various Co-op student positions offered by local companies and, if accepted, they work for the employers for one or more terms. After completion of the working semester, they return to their academic studies.

For the past several years, the Co-op student population has been growing steadily; however, resources for the continuation and enhancement of the Co-op Program have not grown accordingly. Co-op program staff began to explore other means by which they would be able to offer the program to greater numbers of students, while maintaining its unique qualities. There was also a need to reduce instructor workloads and spread the intake period over a larger window of time, giving students increased access to the program.

As a result of these considerations, the Co-op Student Program has been redesigned and developed as an online program with a final face-to-face wrap-up session with an instructor. TELEStraining Inc. was hired to develop and test the online version of the Co-op program. More than 100 students enrolled for the program and more are expected to register for the next offering.

For more information go to http://www.sfu.ca/coop/bol/index.htm