What is Co-op?

Cooperative Education, or Co-op, can be a fabulous and valuable part of your high school education. In the Co-op program, you work on the job for a WRDSB-approved employer. Co-op placements take place during school hours and you can earn credits towards your high school diploma.

Co-op placements are available in many different sectors, from business to tech to the skilled trades. Beside the placement, Co-op classes include in-class sessions that cover topics such as resume writing, safety and what to expect in a workplace. All of it works together to prepare you for your future career!

Why Take Co-op?

There is no better way to develop the essential skills and habits required in the workplace. Co-op placements provide you the opportunity to:

  • Gain practical work experience
  • Explore your interest in a particular job and/or a sector of the economy
  • Discover strengths and skills you never you had
  • Learn to be an active member of a workplace team
  • Develop the employment skills necessary for success in whatever workplace you choose 
  • Add experience, certifications and skills to your resume
  • Develop a network of contacts that may help you in getting a job or a reference

Program Specific Placements

Cooperative Education meets requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. There are some Pathway programs that have specific requirements or features:  

 Students in skilled trade Co-op placements participate in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). 

  • OYAP students can potentially start an apprenticeship through their Co-op placement and give them a head start on the path to earning certification in one of more than 140 skilled trades in Ontario.

Students in a Specialist High School Major (SHSM) program take a minimum of two credits in a specific economic sector.

  • These placements allow you to focus on the knowledge and skills that are relevant in that sector, and to obtain certifications recognized in those sectors.

The WRDSB also offers a number of Summer Co-op placements in July, providing greater flexibility for students trying to balance competing obligations during the school year.

Want to Learn More?

Contact your Guidance Counsellor or talk to a Co-op teacher at your school to learn more about how Co-op can prepare you for your career.