Benefits Of International Co-op:
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Experience A New Culture
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.
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Hone Your Language Skills
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.
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Personal Development
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.
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Graduate School Admissions
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.
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Unique Life Experience
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.
Eligibility For An International Co-op
All work term positions must be preapproved through the Science Career & Cooperative Education office. Students must consult with the SCCE before accepting an offer and receive signed approval from the SCCE 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
Securing An International Co-op Work Term:
After you have met with a member of the SCCE 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.
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Personalized
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.
- For example, you can look into different university websites to obtain background and contact information for the research labs within the institution. EUROScholars is a good reference for 7 major universities.
- You can also connect with companies and organizations via LinkedIn, e-mail or company websites.
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Websites And Organizations With An International Focus
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- Each country you are interested in will have unique career websites and job boards. Check these regularly for updated postings. Examples Include:
- REED (United Kingdom)
- SEEK (Australia)
- EURES (Europe)
- GoAbroad
- ScienceCareers
- Each country you are interested in will have unique career websites and job boards. Check these regularly for updated postings. Examples Include:
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- Quite a few organizations help connect students to work opportunities abroad. Please note there may be an additional charge for their services, which is your responsibility to pay:
- International Science Scholarships:
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OSCARplus Job Board
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.