Is co-op worth delaying your graduation?
Question that needs to be answered
Currently, I am working at the co-op department of the college as a marketing co-op student. I have finished my first year and then the co-op opportunity came along and I grabbed it and now I walk around the campus with my employer badge on. My friends stop and ask about my co-op job and I tell them I am doing full time coop at the college and for the college with no courses this semester and then I am going back to the school in January. All my friends get impressed with it but then they pose a question that has kept me thinking for long and finally I have an answer to that. They ask me if I am going to finish my graduation in time and I am like ‘No’ I must delay my graduation and I always wonder Is Co-op worth delaying my graduation?
Is co-op worth delaying your graduation?
Question that needs to be answered
Well today, I am going to discuss about opening your job search to include co-ops, in addition to internships, as well as the pros and cons of graduating on-time without experience.
Applied experience outside the classroom is heavily emphasized for students. Many companies will list "previous co-op or internship experience" as one of their entry level career requirements. It's for the same reasons that education majors must complete student teaching before being certified or nursing students must pass their clinical before practicing.
Is co-op worth delaying your graduation?
Question that needs to be answered
A successful job search has nothing to do with how long it took you to get your degree or diploma and everything to do with your ability to demonstrate competence in your field.Co-op work assignments are one of the best ways to gain the experience necessary to demonstrate your competence. On average, students without co-op experience need 6 to 9 months to complete their job search - significantly longer than students with experience.
Is co-op worth delaying your graduation?
Question that needs to be answered
I won’t blindly suggest that you extend your education beyond your designated time. One of the biggest concerns that must be addressed is money. I am a student and I get that student life is tough since you live on limited budget and you got lots of things to do in that. A couple extra quarters or year on campus means extra tuition and housing. Luckily for you all co-ops through Okanagan college are paid and money that you can save for your tuition next semester. With some advanced planning, the extra time on campus is manageable for most students. There are students who co-op and still manage to graduate on time, often by taking classes over the summer or you can also take couple of easy courses with your co-op work term.
Is co-op worth delaying your graduation?
Question that needs to be answered
There is nothing wrong with delaying your graduation. One of the best thing about co-op is that if employer likes your performance and work ethics. He can offer you a job once you graduate because you already know most of the work and familiar with organization culture and values. What best can happen to a student that he or she gets job right after graduation. It also helps you in getting strong references that make your resume really strong and unique.
My co-op experience is the foundation for my successful job search and it's my hope that you will have the opportunity to share a similar experience.