Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who is 16 years or older and enrolled in a technical program at PAHCC can ask their instructor to recommend them for Co-operative Education.   If your instructor raises any concerns, your placement will have to be with an employer who can address those concerns. You also need to maintain good standing in your other classwork outside of PAHCC.

Co-op can be with virtually any organization that is willing to host you and aligns with your Program curriculum.  Some students have completed co-op experiences working at PAHCC and never leaving campus, and others have gone as far as Florida for a co-op.   You may have a business in mind, but if not, talk with your instructor or the Co-op Coordinator to see if they know of a good match.  Sometimes transportation can be a problem,  If you have your own vehicle and permission to drive, that increases opportunities for co-op just like it does for jobs.  However, if you don't have your own transportation we may be able to get you a ride to co-op, especially in the immediate Middlebury area.

Almost anyone can participate in co-op during your Career Center program time.  You can also usually participate at other times such as after school or weekends.  In some cases, we can work with your partner school to have you excused from other classes in order to participate in a valuable co-op opportunity, on a case-by-case basis.  In these situations, it is especially important that your other academic work be maintained in order to participate.

On short Co-ops, usually 20 hours, Co-op will be part of your Habits of Work grade.  For longer Co-ops, the Co-op Coordinator will develop a training plan with specific learning targets from your Program curriculum and your employer will asses your work at achieving those learning targets.  Often these assessments can replace some of all of your classroom assignments that you miss while out on Co-op.