By implementing Provincial and Federal legislation, in addition to Co-operative Education & Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) guidelines, we make sure that you, and our co-op students, are protected.
This page outlines the roles and responsibilities put in place for the University of Waterloo, Waterloo co-op employers and students in relation to the University’s co-operative education program.
This information was last updated in March 2022.
Roles and responsibilities: Employers
Employers must be informed and comply with the following policies and procedures of Co-operative Education and the University of Waterloo.
Employer commitment
Please review the recruiting Ethics for employers, students, and institutions from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada.
- Provide accessible, fair and accurate job posting information.
- Provide notice of interview times and cancellations.
- Don't discuss job offers or rankings with students before or during interviews.
- Don't make multiple job rankings or offers unless you have positions for multiple candidates.
- Honour all matches.
- Confirm all job offers in writing.
- Don't extend a co-op position into full-time while the student is still completing academic terms to reach their degree.
In addition, co-op employers must…
- Respect the institutions' schedules regarding job postings, interview arrangements, job offers, etc.
- Protect student confidentiality/privacy as per University policy 46.
- Be informed and comply with the co-operative education policies and procedures of each institution.
- Not provide candidates with information on other companies.
- Not seek a candidate's assessment of another candidate.
- Comply with all Provincial and Federal Freedom of Information, Human Rights, Employment and Accessibility legislation.
- Attempt to resolve violations of recruiting ethics at the local level. Where local resolution is not possible, violations should be brought to the attention of the National Board.
Respecting your student under harassment and discrimination policies
The Ontario Human Rights Code protects students, like other employees, from harassment and discrimination. Harassment includes:
- Unnecessary touching,
- Leering or suggestive remarks,
- Vexatious comments
- Reprisal for rejection of sexual advances,
- Explicit pin-ups and graffiti, and
- Degrading jokes and comments.
Examples of workplace discrimination may include but are not limited to:
- Discrimination based on physical or mental disability
- Discrimination based on where you were born
- Discrimination based on family status (ie motherhood/fatherhood, childless etc)
- Discrimination based on age
- Discrimination based on religion or other culturally held belief system
Eligibility
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Hire students for positions approved as creditable co-op jobs.
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Hire students as either an employee or engage as an independent contractor
- Provide appropriate compensation, working conditions, supervision, training and evaluation.
- Comply with applicable government statutes and legislation.
- Respect the University of Waterloo’s co-op process regarding job postings, interview arrangements, job offers, etc.
Job descriptions
- Provide accurate description of job duties, qualifications and skill level of the job advertised.
- Indicate whether you will hire a student as an employee or engage as an independent contractor
Interview process
- Provide notice of interview times and cancellations to the department of Co-operative Education in a timely fashion.
- Conduct interviews in the academic term preceding the work term whenever possible.
- Interview, whenever possible, at the University of Waterloo or electronically (e.g., via phone or webcam).
- Follow the interview schedule as created and administered by Co-operative Education.
- Do not discuss job offers or rankings with students before, during or after interviews.
- Do not ask a student to accept a job offer ahead of the match, or about their ranking strategy ahead of the match. If a student asks you to make them a direct offer, or indicates that other companies are doing this, please connect with your Account Manager.
- Submit offers and rankings during the designated ranking period.
- Do not provide candidates with information on other students or companies.
- Do not seek a candidate's assessment of another candidate.
Offer process (ranking)
- Offer employment only through Co-operative Education’s employment process (i.e., do not make offers during or immediately following an interview).
- Rank students according to preference for the advertised position.
- Submit rankings via WaterlooWorks within the specified timeframe.
- Commit to hiring any student matched through the ranking process (i.e., honour all employment matches).
- Do not submit multiple job offers unless there are positions for multiple candidates.
Work term
- Accommodate a work consultation by the appropriate WTS during a student's work term.
- Comply with all Provincial and Federal Freedom of Information, Human Rights and Employment legislation.
- Complete a Student Performance Evaluation Form before the end of the student's work term and save/submit it to Co-operative Education via WaterlooWorks.
- Contact the appropriate co-op advisor before taking disciplinary action or considering the dismissal of a co-op student.
- Employers who wish to rehire a student for an upcoming work term can extend an offer of employment to the student for their next scheduled work term prior to the end of their current work term and must inform Co-operative Education of their plans.
- Provide enhanced work for their student when the employer chooses to rehire for another work term.
- Do not transfer a co-op position into full-time employment for a student who has yet to complete the academic terms required for their degree.
Exiting a work term
Before leaving the work term, employers are encouraged to have their student(s):
- Revise the job description accordingly.
- Write/update a handbook or advice manual for incoming students.
- Consider and implement as possible, feedback about improving the workplace and position for future students.
- Clarify whether or not the student will return for the next scheduled work term.
Actions to take in case of a strike or labour disruption while your student is on a work term
- Discuss the situation with your student, then advise the student advisor.
- Try to make alternate work arrangements with your student.
- The length and timing of the labour disruption will determine whether credit will be given for the work term.
- If the labour disruption or strike is prolonged, and your student decides to leave the job, Co-operative Education will work with the student to try to help them find another position.
- Payment of wages to your co-op student during a labour disruption is your decision.
- Your student must stay in touch with their student advisor during the labour disruption.
Accountability
- The University of Waterloo reserves the right to take the appropriate course of action when an employer does not comply with these policies and responsibilities.
- Any actions not following these policies and responsibilities will result in Co-operative Education following our established process to investigate work term issues and evaluate the conditions to support a safe and inclusive environment for University of Waterloo co-op students. Should concerns remain unresolved in relation to student health and wellbeing, it may result in preventing the employer from hiring co-op students from the University of Waterloo in the future.
Roles and responsibilities: University of Waterloo |
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Roles and responsibilities: Co-operative Education and the University of Waterloo
Co-op accreditation
The University of Waterloo is a full member of Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada. All of Waterloo’s undergraduate co-op programs and select graduate programs are accredited. Accredited programs meet the following criteria:
- Every co-op job is verified and approved by Co-operative Education.
- Students should be engaged in productive work rather than just observing.
- Students should receive some form of remuneration for their work.
- Student progress on the work term should be monitored by Co-operative Education.
- Student performance on the work term should be evaluated by their employer.
- At least 30% of the time in a student’s degree must be spent on co-op work experiences (for graduate programs under two years: 25%).
- Students should be progressing through a formalized study/work sequence, as set by their academic program.
Important: Waterloo co-op programs are designed to meet and/or exceed all accreditation requirements and are administered solely by the University and not CEWIL Canada.
Co-operative Education will:
- Develop co-operative education employment opportunities with public and private sector employers that fulfil the co-operative education degree requirements.
- Maintain and enhance relationships with existing employers.
- Manage and administer the co-op recruitment process for employers and students (e.g., job postings, interview scheduling, interview facilities, computer matching, etc.).
- Present offers of employment (via rankings) on behalf of employers to students.
- Maintain contact (work term consultations, e-mail or telephone) with students and employers during the work term through the hiring process and work term support representatives.
- Provide advice and support to students and employers if difficulties arise during a work term.
- Ensure that any relevant and required documentation is provided to students, the employer and the appropriate University department and/or faculty.
- Establish and maintain records with information that reflects students' co-op activities in accordance with Waterloo Policy 46.
Ethics
It is the University of Waterloo's responsibility to:
- Inform students, employers and other interested parties of their policies and procedures.
- Provide equal services to all students and employers.
- Accommodate employers' reasonable requests for job postings, interview space and presentation facilities.
- Provide students with accurate information on all recruiting employers.
- Notify the employer of any hiring limitations prior to them conducting interviews.
- Follow ethical and legal guidelines in providing student information to employers.
- Comply with all Provincial and Federal Freedom of Information, Human Rights and Employment legislation.
- Attempt to resolve violations of recruiting ethics at the local level. Where local resolution is not possible, violations should be brought to the attention of the National Board.
Note: These ethics are reprinted with permission from Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada. For additional information, please review the CEWIL's Recruiting Ethics for employers, students and institutions.
Feasibility studies
In order to support Waterloo’s Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), Co-operative Education will conduct feasibility studies in conjunction with the development of new or evolving co-op plans/programs as well as when significant changes in curriculum or any course realignments may affect the employability of co-op students.
Feasibility studies allow us to assess potential shifts in demand for students who are admitted to new programs, following new study/work sequences or learning new skills in the classroom. They also allow us to assess the lead time and resources anticipated to develop appropriate job opportunities for the projected supply of students.
For more information about our process around feasibility studies, visit this page.
University closures
Snow day closure
Snowstorms occasionally cause the University to close. When this happens, Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) also shuts down. All interviews scheduled for that day are cancelled and postponed to another date. The new dates will appear on your WaterlooWorks dashboard.
You can find out if the University is closed by doing any of the following (after 6:30 a.m.):
- Check the University of Waterloo homepage for a closure notice.
- Call the University (519-888-4567) or our front desk (519-888-4026). A recorded message will tell you if the University is closed.
- Check our websites for a closure notice. The notice will appear on the Co-operative Education student homepage, Hire Waterloo employer homepage and WaterlooWorks login page.
Other closures
There may be other reasons that cause Co-operative Education to cancel and postpone interviews. In these cases, we will post notices on the website and if possible, attempt to contact students with scheduled interviews to explain the cancellation or postponement.
Pandemic guidelines and procedures
Pandemic instructions, guidelines, and procedures will be posted on this page, in the event of major disruptions, should an influenza pandemic strike occur. In the case of a pandemic event, check back to this page.
Pandemic resources