Your performance evaluation

An employer and a student sitting at a table discussing something on a laptop

The Student Performance Evaluation is designed to give you clear insight into your overall performance during your work term. Co-operative Education developed the evaluation using the University's Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF) which has four talent clusters with three key competencies in each cluster. 

Your supervisor will use the Student Performance Evaluation to assess your top strengths and areas for development based on the FRTF competencies. Your supervisor must complete this evaluation, and you must earn a rating of marginal or better in the evaluation to receive academic credit (CR) for your work term. 

How to approach your Student Performance Evaluation 

1) Initial review and goal setting 

At the start of your work term, we recommend that you meet with your supervisor to ensure you have a clear understanding of their expectations. During this meeting, you and your supervisor take the time to review the Student Performance Evaluation. You can explore each of the 12 FRTF competencies and set goals for skill development based on the expectations of your role. 

2) Mid-term check in 

You may choose to discuss your performance before the end of your co-op work term by asking your supervisor to conduct an informal mid-term evaluation. These early conversations can be helpful to identify your current progress in terms of competency development. Here you may receive insight into which areas you may want to focus on further developing before the end of your work term. Mid-term evaluations are for reflection purposes and will not be recorded on WaterlooWorks. 

3) End of term evaluation (required) 

To receive co-op credit, you must receive an evaluation of marginal or better on each of your individual work terms. Ideally, your supervisor should submit the evaluation by the end of the work term.  

We’ll send reminders to the contact listed on your "Work Term Record" to conduct a Student Performance Evaluation during the fourth month of your work term. As a co-op student, it is your responsibility to ensure your supervisor completes and submits the Student Performance Evaluation within the appropriate time frame. It is best if you can remind your employer to submit your Student Performance Evaluation before you leave the work term. You can also review and add comments to your evaluation form after your supervisor has submitted. 

If you have any questions about working with your employer to complete your Student Performance Evaluation, please reach out to your Co-op Advisor.

Understanding the overall performance ratings

At the end of your evaluation, your supervisor will provide an overall performance rating for your work term, which is recorded on your work term history (part of future application packages in WaterlooWorks). Comments and feedback from the SPE are for your use and not provided to other employers. See below for the definition of each rating and how it is recorded on your academic record.

Outstanding Performance
  • You have significantly exceeded all behavioural and developmental performance expectations in respect to output, quality standards, delivery of goals and assignments. 
  • This rating is assigned to students who have distinguished themselves by their unique contribution or exceptional performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 
  • If you delivered outstanding contributions to your co-op employer organization and demonstrated performance beyond your job responsibilities, consider applying for the Co-op Student of the Year Award. 

Excellent Performance
  • You have exceeded all performance expectations in respect to output, quality standards, delivery of goals and assignments. 
  • Your supervisor is delighted with your performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 

Very Good Performance
  • You have met all, and exceeded some, performance expectations in respect to output, quality standards, delivery of goals and assignments. 
  • Your supervisor is very pleased with your performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 

Good Performance
  • You have met performance expectations in respect to output, quality standards, delivery of goals and assignments. 
  • Your supervisor is pleased with your performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 

Satisfactory Performance

  • You have not fully met the performance expectations in respect to output, quality standards, delivery of goals and assignments. 
  • Your supervisor is mostly satisfied with your performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 

Marginal Performance
  • Your overall performance required improvement and/or certain key aspects of performance required improvement while other aspects were satisfactory. 
  • Your supervisor is displeased with your performance. 
  • You receive credit (CR) for the work term on your academic record. 

Unsatisfactory Performance
  • You did not meet performance requirements. 
  • This rating represents a failure of the work term. 
  • Will appear as a no credit granted (NCR) for the work term on your academic record.