BENEFITS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATION


For the Employer:

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Increases cost-effectiveness of recruitment and training.

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Results in a higher average retention rate among permanent employers recruited and hired through a co-op program.

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Provides an opportunity to evaluate employees prior to a decision regarding full-time employment.

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Allows flexibility in staffing needs.

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Brings state of the art technical knowledge to the workplace.

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Exempts employers from paying unemployment compensation taxes on wages of co-op students if they are enrolled in a qualified co-op program and from paying unemployment compensation to students released from these programs.

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Creates a partnership between business and education.


For the Student:


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Enhances the graduate’s marketability by providing valuable work experiences.

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Provides academic credit toward graduation (in most curricula).

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Enables students to earn money to help defray college expenses.

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Develops self-confidence, responsibility, and professional competence.

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Provides employer contact and exposure to the working world.

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Helps students to develop long-range career goals.

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Integrates work experiences with classroom instruction.