CO—OFERATIVE EDUCATION UFDATE

OCTOBER, 1985
PAGE 2

The two main benefits for "co-operating" employers are:

« in the short-term,access to enthusiastic, knowledgeable and productive
student workers to assist with routine tasks or to perform special
short term projects.

- in the long term, a cost-effective recruitment mechanism; employers
have the opportunity to "try out” prospective permanent employees on
the job without being required to make a commitment.

Is it a new Idea?

Co-operative education is not a new, untried concept; it has a long
and successful history in the U.S. The first program in North America was
introduced in Engineering at the University of Cincinnati in 1906. Soon
after, a handful more programs sprang up, primarily in engineering, but in
increasing numbers of business schools as well. Over the years, Co-op has
also been adopted successfully, on a smaller scale, in less traditional areas
like the Liberal Arts. Today there are approximately 900 post-secondary
institutions in the U.S. offering Co-op, about one-third of the total number
of post-secondary institutions in the country.

The University of Waterloo (in Ontario) started the first Co-op program
in Canada in 1957. From its small beginning, Waterloo has expanded its
offerings to encompass ten program areas; with approximately 8,000 placements
in the 1983/84 academic year, it is the largest program in Canada, and is
second in North America only to Northeastern University in Boston (9,000
placements in the same year).

In the intervening twenty-eight years the total number of Canadian programs
has risen to just over fifty, with an almost equal representation of two
and four year institutions. B.C. has a shorter history in Co-op; it was
less than ten years ago that the University of Victoria initiated the first
program in the province. As of this school year, however, there will be ten
institutions in B.C. offering some form of Co-op: University of Victoria,

S.F.U., U.B.C., B.C.1.T., V.C.C. (Langara), College of New Caledonia, Okanagan,
Selkirk, Capilano and Douglas.

Why is Douglas College “Going Co-op"?

There's no question that in the current climate of economic uncertainty, .
these are particularly difficult times for job seekers, especially young
people entering the labour market for the first time. By embarking on a comp-
rehensive co-operative education program, the College is demonstrating its
commitment to preparing students as fully as possible for their post-graduation
working lives. The specific objectives of our program, therefore, will be:

1. To prepare students for employment in a wide variety of business and
industry that requires generai sxills and knowledge.

2. To provide access to a diminishing supply of employment for youth
registering at Douglas College.

3. To provide a pool of work placements in business and industry that
will give work experience to youth.

4. To identify full and part-time jobs available for youth in local
business and industry.