"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life"
- Anonymous
Co-operative Education Department
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How will you know if the career you're thinking of is right for you?
Try out a career in grade 11 or grade 12 through Co-operative Education!
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Co-op combines classroom and workplace learning, giving students valuable real-world
experience as they earn credits toward their High school Diploma. This program supports students bound for college, the workplace, an apprenticeship or university. Through co-op, students are able to "try out" careers gaining desirable employability as well as specialized occupational skills. Co-op enables students to make informed educational and career decisions toward post-secondary options including further education, apprenticeships and/or the world of work.
The benefits of taking Co-op are endless!
- Test a career
- Explore your interests
- Obtain career-related practical experience
- Highlight this experience on your resume
- Develop specific employability/job skills
- Develop attitudes for success in the workplace
- Make a smoother transition from school to work or post-secondary education
- Obtain contacts for references, letters of recommendation and possible future employment
- Develop confidence and independence
- Earn credits towards your OSS Diploma
Types of programs: 4 Credit package
semester. Students attend school for the first two and a half weeks of the semester in order to
complete an intensive pre-employment component. After the two and a half weeks of in-school
classes, students will attend their co-op work placement five days a week and will return to
school only on scheduled days for co-op Integration Classes. Students interested in careers
such as the skilled trades, where workers travel to different locations each day to perform their
work, are recommended to choose a 4 Credit Package in order to have flexibility in time to join their supervisors and co-workers on site locations.
3 Credit package
Students who are unable to fit a four credit package into their time table, but would like a
full-time co-op experience with the opportunity to gain hands-on training in a workplace setting, may choose a three credit package. These students will be able to take another subject in first period or last period while co-op occupies the three remaining periods back-to-back in any given day. Students attend school all day for the first two and a half weeks of the semester in order to complete an intensive pre-employment component. After the completion of the pre-employment classes, students will attend their co-op work placement for 3 periods a day, and their 1 period in school class every day. Students will also attend scheduled co-op Integration Classes.
2 Credit package
Students registered in the half-day program will earn two co-op credits. Students taking afternoon co-op will take regular school courses in the morning and will attend their co-op work placement in the afternoon only. Students taking morning co-op will take regular school courses in the afternoon and will attend their co-op work placement in the morning only. These students attend school for the first two and a half weeks of the semester in order to complete an intensive pre-employment component. After the completion of the pre-employment classes, students will be in school for ½ day and at their co-op work placement for a ½ day, every day of the week, and will attend co-op classes on scheduled Integration Days.
Special Programs: Specialist High Skills Majors in Health and Wellness (pending approval, in Business and in Transportation)
Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM)
Alexander Mackenzie HS continues to offer the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) red seal certification program in the Health and Wellness sector. Any student pursuing a career in fitness, health care or social services should consider participating in this program as it provides co-op work experience in the field of interest, as well as special training and certifications which are documented on the high school transcript and with a recognized red seal on the Secondary School Diploma.
Pending Ministry approval, students interested in a career in Business or any area of Transportation Technology will have the opportunity to enroll in an SHSM program focused on the Business or Transportation Technology sectors for 2014-2015.
Any SHSM program consists of 5 required components along with enrolment in a 2 credit co-op. Students must successfully complete all the required components in order to earn the SHSM designation on their diploma.
The 5 required components are:
- Completion of 9 specified courses in grades 11 and 12
- Sector-recognized certifications and training courses/programs such as First Aid/CPR
- Experiential learning activities within the sector
- “Reach ahead” experiences connected with the student’s post-secondary pathway
- Development of essential skills and work habits required in the sector and use of the Ontario Skills Passport (OSP) for purposes of documentation.
*Note* all the certifications, experiential and “reach ahead” activities are coordinated and provided through the SHSM program
For further information about the SHSM program requirements or the application process, contact the SHSM coordinator, Mr. Petrone or a Guidance counselor or Co-operative Education teacher.
In addition to SHSM, the following unique, specialized programs are available to students: Ontario Young Apprenticeship Program, Militia Co-op, Dual Credit College programs or Dual Credit/Accelerated Apprenticeship programs, International Co-op to Ecuador, Summer School Co-op in Costa Rica, High Performance Athlete Co-op. Please speak to a Co-op teacher about these unique and rich learning opportunities.
Can Anyone Take Co-op?
Eligible students will:- have successfully completed a minimum of 16 credits
- be at least 16 years old
- have completed and submitted a co-op application package
- be deemed suitable following a successful interview with a co-op teacher
- have completed or be completing the grade 11 or 12 credit to which the out-of-school work placement will be linked
- have good employability skills
- have submitted two teacher references
- have met the additional requirements of the specialized co-op programs
Remember, today more than ever, it’s hard to get a job without experience and it’s hard to obtain experience without a job! Co-operative Education is the program that will give you the experience you need in order to achieve your career goals!
The Co-op Application and two copies of the Teacher Reference form can be downloaded from the links below. Students may also obtain hard copies of the application and teacher reference forms from the Co-op office, room 141C. All forms must be properly completed and submitted to the Co-operative Education Department office in Room 141C.