Supervisor Information & Tools
What to Expect in the Work Term
Interdisciplinary Co-op provides a supportive structure for students and supervisors to make the most of the work experience. For each 4-month work term, you can expect a few things to take place.
Once the co-op student is oriented to the workplace and assigned their tasks and responsibilities, they are required to create learning goals.
Although students can complete these learning goals on their own, we recommend that they meet with their supervisor to establish realistic yet challenging goals.
By reviewing the learning goals, you can:
- Align the student’s goals with the work you expect them to perform.
- Get to know the student’s goals and potentially optimize their contributions based on the student’s abilities, and interests.
- Build rapport with your student, fostering a comfortable environment for the student to share their objectives and experiences.
The mid-point meeting is a dedicated time for you, the student, and a Co-op Advisor to discuss the student’s learning, progress, performance, and experience. It’s an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments, and discuss and/or resolve any problems or concerns that you or the student may have.
The meetings take place typically online, but in person can be arranged.
Timing
Midway through the term, the Co-op Office will coordinate the mid-point meeting with you and your student. The student is responsible for scheduling the meeting and will check with you about your availability.
Agenda
Discussion between Supervisor, Student & Co-op Advisor (approx. 25 mins)
- Introductions
- Overview of contributions, highlights, and challenges
- Opportunities for growth or professional development
- Review progression of learning goals and facilitate feedback
- Overview of upcoming assignments and next steps
Co-op Advisor & Student Meet (approx. 5 mins)
- Job seeking support or professional development discussion
- Student questions
In addition to the mid-point meeting, we encourage you to check-in regularly with your co-op student to discuss their tasks and projects, progress towards learning goals, new interests, and any problems or concerns.
Final Project
Throughout the term, your student will be required to submit several co-op work term assignments. These are designed to help students reflect on their learning, articulate their skills and experiences and develop their professional network. At the end of the co-op work term, they must select one final project. It is up to the student to discuss any workplace content that may be added to these assignments with you to ensure nothing confidential is submitted.
Final Projects could be presented as:
- Written – critical reflection
- Presentation – lighting talk format
- Visual narrative, such as a poster, creative artifact or photo gallery
Student & Employer Evaluations
At the end of each four-month term, the student and the supervisor each complete online evaluations. We will email you a link in the final weeks of the work term. We encourage you to meet and discuss your evaluation with each other before the end of the work term.
Onboarding for Supervisors
Our onboarding session offers tips and resources to help set you and your co-op student up for success in the work term. Topics include:
- Co-op Program logistics and timelines
- What’s expected of employers and students during the term
- Key dates and student assignment requirements
- Where to find support and resources throughout the term
Date, time and link the to onboarding session will be emailed in advance. We strongly encourage all supervisors to attend – it’s a great opportunity to ask questions, gain clarity on expectations, and connect with the Co-op team.
Duties and Responsibilities
During a co-op work term, employers, students, and the Interdisciplinary Co-op office have a set of duties and responsibilities they must abide by.
- Outline hours of work, start and end dates, job duties, and advise the student on confidentiality in the workplace
- Provide the student with an orientation to the workplace, as well as the functional workspace and any required equipment
- Provide the student with a supervisor who will oversee their work, discuss expectations and give feedback
- Participate in the mid-point meeting to assess the student’s progress, performance, and experience
- Provide guidance for the student’s co-op work term assignments, if appropriate
- Complete a final evaluation of the student’s performance during the work term
- Honour the acceptance of a work term by fulfilling the terms of employment to the best of their abilities
- Respect the polices, procedures, confidentiality, and proprietary information of their employers (assume job information is confidential unless told otherwise)
- Conform to all the conditions and rules that apply to employees in the organization, such as work attire and business hours
- Arrange for a mid-point meeting with their employer and Co-op Advisor
- Accept feedback and suggestions for improvement from their supervisor and/or Co-op Advisor in a positive manner
- Complete and submit co-op work term assignments to the Interdisciplinary Co-op office
- Share copies of work term assignments with their work supervisor as necessary, and discuss any issues of confidentiality prior to submission
- Complete the final evaluation for the work term
- Act as a resource to students and employers during work terms
- Conduct mid-point meeting to discuss the student’s work progress and to identify future work opportunities for UBCO Co-op students
- Address any problems that arise from either the student or employer
- Review the employer’s final evaluation of the student and the student’s evaluation of the work term
- Review the success of each work term at its completion, and make appropriate changes to the program based on student and employer feedback
Get Involved
The success of our program depends on our employers. We invite you to support our students in a variety of ways:
Many of our employers have found that working with co-op students on a short-term basis is a low risk way to find top employees to hire after graduation.
To learn more about hiring another co-op student, contact the Interdisciplinary Co-op Office.
Help us reach others in your network about hiring an UBC Okanagan Co-op student. Referrals are always welcomed!
We invite you to be involved with the development of our program, and student career readiness.
If you wish to help as a guest speaker at our career readiness training sessions or deliver a workshop or information session about your organization, contact us.
Co-op Student of the Year Award
If you would like to help recognize a student for their excellent performance, consider the annual Interdisciplinary Co-op Student of the Year Award.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in all aspects of a student’s performance, including academic and job achievements, as well as contributions to co-operative education and extra-curricular activities.
Best Practice for Remote Work
As many of our employers have hybrid or remote work arrangements, we have tips on how to work with students remotely, courtesy of CEWIL (Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada).
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