Co-op and careers
Explore careers, earn money, and gain experience through North America's largest co-op (paid internship) program.
As a co-op student, you’ll typically alternate between four months in school and four months as a full-time employee of the organization you're working for.
Open to Canadian and international students, Waterloo's co-op program is an amazing way to learn to successfully interview for jobs, see how your degree relates to real-life problems, graduate with up to two years of valuable experience – and make money!
8,000+ employers
- Access North America's largest selection of co-op jobs and experiences for university students.
- More employers means more choice for you.
- Make money to help pay for school – and gain experience at the same time!
Earn while you learn
- Our students typically make between $9,600 and $22,500 per four-month work term in Canada.
- You'll have between four to six co-op work terms.
- Waterloo students typically have smaller student loans and are more successful at paying them back.
Explore careers
- Use your co-op terms to try different careers. See what you're good at and what you love to do.
- Learn to ace job interviews and make contacts before you start your career!
Waterloo students are 4X more likely to do an internship, co-op, field experience, or clinical placement in their first year than first-year students at other Ontario universities.
(Source: National Survey of Student Engagement 2023)
Whether you have a career in mind or you're not sure what you'd like to do, hands-on experience lets you see what you like (or dislike!) and gives you valuable skills that employers want.
Career success
Warriors get there faster. In addition to the classroom learning, industry experience, and career support woven throughout your degree, there are many more resources.
- Workshops on résumé writing, researching careers, networking, and more
- One-on-one advice for planning your career or further education, preparing for interviews, and more
- Support for student entrepreneurs to validate ideas and launch businesses
- Job postings exclusively for Waterloo students and graduates
Source: Ontario University Graduate Survey 2022
Is co-op right for you?
Waterloo students complete approximately 25,000 four-month work terms each year, helping them round out their learning with future-ready skills. You'll have between four and six co-op work terms depending on your program. Like every choice you make in life – whether it's coffee or tea, co-op or a regular program – there are pros and cons to both.
Advantages
Among other benefits, co-op
- allows you to graduate with proven experience,
- helps you earn money for tuition,
- teaches you how to network with prospective employers,
- can let you live in different cities or countries,
- gives you a break between school terms, and
- increases your chances for employment upon graduating.
Disadvantages
While co-op can be highly rewarding, it's a competitive program and you aren't guaranteed a job. Being in a co-op program
- may add stress to your school terms,
- adds a co-op fee (over $785) to support the cost of the running the co-op program,
- may require you to move to another city for your co-op term,
- could limit time for other activities, and
- takes a year longer to complete your degree.