Course Outcomes

Course Outcomes

Demonstrate personal growth in the ….

1. Fundamental Skills needed as a base for further development. These skill areas include communications, managing information, using numbers and problem solving.

2. Personal management skills. These areas include the attitudes and behaviors that drive ones potential for responsibility, adaptability, resourcefulness, continuous learning and working safety.

3. Teamwork skills. These skill areas include working with others and the ability to participate in group projects and tasks.

Students are expected to….

Demonstrate an understanding in the areas of personal discovery, work in the future, charting their career choices, job search strategies, and the interview process.

Acquire and improve their knowledge, skills and attitudes required in today’s society through development of an employability portfolio.

Successfully complete a community based work placement.

Complete a training and evaluation plan for the work placement.

(Adapted from “Co-operative Education”, a Halifax Regional School Board curriculum document.)

Course Overview

• All students must submit a co-op application, teacher reference and community reference form. All students will be interviewed to determine eligibility for enrollment in the co-op course.

• All students must have parents/guardian sign off on a photo permission form.

• All students will complete approximately 25 to 30 hours in class as part of their pre placement preparation. 

• Portfolio Completion – All students must complete and submit a professional portfolio upon completion of their placement. A check list will be provided to students with all criteria and expectations for your final portfolio.

• Students will complete exercises in self- discovery, employability skills, learning plans, resume and cover letter writing and Interview skills. Students will examine work ethics and workplace confidentiality. Tutorials will be provided on work place safety (First Aid, WHMIS, and OHS)

• Students will complete research on career possibilities and complete reflections and journals on their work placement experiences.

• Students will focus on their personal management skills. This includes but is not limited to: punctuality, organizational skills, and communication skills. Attendance and punctuality is very important for the success of co-op students and emphasis will be placed on these practices.

Work Placement

• Placements will occur during Semester I and Semester II. All co-op students must complete 80 hours of work placement.

• Starting dates will differ for each student depending on completion of their in-class component of course.

• Each student will be interviewed by an employer before the placement begins.

• Students are responsible for their own transportation. Students are not permitted to drive other students to work placements.

• While on placements all students are covered by the Student insurance Program (SIP).

 SIP Documents

Course Assessment & Evaluation

All co-op students will complete the following units.

All students must complete both the in class and work placement requirements to receive a credit in this course.

Assessment is the process of gathering, from a variety of sources, information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the learning outcomes in a subject or course.

A) Formative Assessment is to show growth over time, determine student needs, plan next steps in instruction, and provide students with descriptive feedback.

B) Summative Assessment is to determine the extent to which learning has occurred for students.

Evaluation is the process of analyzing, reflecting upon, and summarizing assessment information and making judgements and or decisions based on the information gathered.

Personal Development – 10%

(In Class Component)

• Letter Writing/Public Speaking

• Career Research/MyBlueprint

• Prepping for an Interview/Mock Interview Reflection

Pre-Placement Preparation – 20%

(In Class Component)

• Resume & Cover Letter Development

• Resume/Cover Letter Annotation

• Placement Learning Plan A & B (SMART Goal Setting)

• Employability Skills Assessment

• Workplace Confidentiality

• Placement Interview with Host

Health & Safety – 5%

(In Class Component)

• WHMIS On Line Course (Workplace Hazardous Material Information Systems)

• CELT (Construction Entry-Level Training)

Communication – 5%

• Ongoing communication with teacher before/after work placement

• Communication with main office for ACT during work placement days

• Appropriate communication with employer

• Thank you letter/email

Work Place Placement – 30%

• 4 Journal Entries (20, 40, 60, 80 hours)

• Testimonial Video

• Learning Plan B Employment Log

Employer Evaluation – 25%

• Record of Hours authorised by employer (student is responsible for obtaining signatures from supervisor).

• Host Evaluation – All students will be assessed by their employer/host based on the completion of their learning plan and work place experience. One mid placement evaluation & one final evaluation (Evaluations can be found on the co-op website)

E-Portfolio/Post-Placement Presentation – 15% (Final Assessment)

• Check list of required items is posted in Google Classroom

• Post-Placement Class Presentation