Shape the future of your co-op experience.
Support. Lead. Inspire. Become a Co-op Mentor!
Mentorship opportunities are open to students in 4th or 5th year who have successfully completed at least one work term.
Mentors are paired with 3rd-year co-op students to offer guidance, encouragement, and real-world insight as they navigate their first year in co-op.
Applications to become a Mentor open in July.
Make a Real Impact: Join the Co-op Advisory Committee!
The Co-op Advisory Committee brings together student representatives from all programs to meet virtually with the Co-op Program Manager every six weeks throughout the school year.
Committee members share insight on challenges co-op students face, offer feedback on new ideas, and help shape the future of the co-op experience.
Applications open in July.
The Co-op Ambassador Program gives 4th and 5th-year students a chance to represent their program and connect with 1st and 2nd-year students who want to learn more about co-op.
Ambassadors share their experiences, answer questions, and help new students feel confident and informed about getting started.
Opportunities are open to students who have completed at least one work term. Applications open in June.
Personalized job searching is an important part of the co-op journey and teaches valuable skills that will enhance your future career development and employability. When searching for personalized jobs, remember all co-op positions must be a minimum of 420 hours of paid full-time work per four month term. All positions must first be approved by the Science Careers & Experience Centre. The Personalized Job Approval form can be found on Avenue to Learn.
Interested in venturing outside of Canada for your work term?
While travel can provide you with a snapshot of a certain location, there is nothing like working and living in a place to fully immerse yourself in the local culture. Working abroad exposes you to new foods, customs, traditions, business practices and social norms. Our students often take the opportunity to travel to neighbouring areas, actively participate in local activities, make lasting friendships and grow their global network.
Chances are if you’re planning on working abroad, one of the major draws may be the opportunity to interact in a foreign language. There is no better way to learn than to dive right in, and you will have a fantastic opportunity to learn or improve your written and verbal communication skills.
Being on your own in a foreign country can be nerve-wracking for some, while exhilarating for others. By embracing new challenges over the course of your experience, you will have the opportunity to further develop many important skills, including problem solving, independent thinking, research, communication and resiliency.
Like future employers, graduate school admission boards look very highly on abroad experiences. Students who work or study abroad display diversity and show that they aren’t afraid to seek out new challenges or put themselves in difficult situations.
For many students, this may be the only chance to travel abroad, and live and work in a foreign country. Many nations are supportive of temporary student work experiences; full-time postgraduate positions may be much harder to secure. Students are encouraged to embrace this unique opportunity.
All work term positions must be preapproved through the Science Careers & Experience Centre. Students must consult with the Science Careers & Experience Centre before accepting an offer and receive signed approval from the Science Careers & Experience Centre Manager or Co-op Advisor.
Visa Eligibility: Students must be able to secure a work visa in the country of employment.
Security: The country must not be on the “Avoid all travel” or “Avoid all non-essential travel” list issued by the Government of Canada
After you have met with a member of the Science Careers & Experience Centre team to discuss your international co-op plan, your job search will follow the same strategies and principles that you learned in SCIENCE 2C00 and 3C00.
Your primary strategy will be catered to your interests. Use your personal networks and apply to positions in the hidden job market and targeted web searches.
The OSCARplus Science Co-op and SSC’s main job board occasionally post positions outside of Canada, so keep an eye out for international opportunities. Your co-op coordinator can also connect with you when opportunities arise if they are aware of your interest in working abroad.