Co-op, Career & Experiential Education (CCEE) at Brock University is committed to delivering a comprehensive, inclusive and non-discriminatory suite of services in relation to for career preparation, co-op placements, experiential learning opportunities, and student and new graduation employment.

We are a member of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) and Co-op Education & Work Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada and adhere to guidelines set out by both organizations in delivering quality experiences for students and maintaining ethical recruitment practices related to student and new graduate employment. We hold ourselves and our employer/community partners accountable to these expectations through the following practices.

CCEE reserves the right to refuse any person or organization use of its services for reasons including, but not limited to:

• Non-compliance with the terms and conditions outlined in this document;
• Incorrect, incomplete or misleading information related to an organization and/or employment or experiential opportunity;
• Human rights, discrimination or safety concerns;
• Payment default or overdue accounts for event or service fees;
• Non–compliance with federal or provincial legislation;
• Promotion of inappropriate or fraudulent employment or experiential opportunities;
• Behaviour or conduct that is unethical or deemed contrary to CCEE’s values and/or equity, diversity & inclusion recruitment practices

Below is a list of employer partner responsibilities and accountabilities designed to support a successful co-op experience for both employers and students.

Hiring Overview

• Job Offers must include clear details: compensation (ensuring fair and equitable pay), start and end dates, work location (with consideration for accessibility), and the name and contact information of the direct supervisor.
• Job Descriptions should use inclusive and bias-free language. We strongly encourage you to highlight your organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusive hiring practices.
• Hiring Practices should be equitable and transparent. Employers are expected to minimize bias in the selection process and remove unnecessary barriers to candidate success.

Employment Responsibilities

• Work Term Duration: Co-op students must complete a minimum of 420 hours (typically 16 weeks or 560 hours).
• Employment Relationship: The student is considered a temporary employee of your organization. Employers are expected to comply with all applicable employment laws, standards, and organizational policies.
• Safe and Inclusive Work Environment: Ensure the workplace—both physical and digital—is safe, accessible, and inclusive.
• Professional Development: Provide meaningful work that supports learning, skill development, and professional growth.

Onboarding and Supervision

• Role Clarity: Clearly outline responsibilities and expectations, ensuring the student is engaged in full-time, productive, and enriching work.
• Orientation & Training: Provide appropriate onboarding to help students understand the workplace culture, tools, and policies.
• Ongoing Support: Offer regular supervision, guidance, and mentorship throughout the work term to foster success and confidence.

Learning Goals and Feedback

• Collaborative Goal Setting: Work with the student to establish learning goals aligned with the job role and career development.
• Constructive Feedback: Provide timely, ongoing feedback to support continuous learning and improvement.
• Mid-Term Check-In: Participate in a scheduled check-in call with the student and a Brock Co-op representative to discuss progress and address any concerns.
• End-of-Term Evaluation: Complete and review the formal Employer Feedback Form with the student. Completion of this evaluation is required for the student’s successful continuation in the co-op program.

Issue Management

• Timely Communication: Notify Brock Co-op immediately if there are concerns about the student’s performance or conduct.
• Support Before Termination: If significant issues arise—particularly before the mid-term review—contact Brock Co-op to discuss support strategies. Termination should be considered only after reasonable opportunities for performance improvement have been provided.

Adherence to Legislation and Policy:

Ensure compliance with applicable laws and policies including:

Brock University Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy

Ontario Human Rights Code

Occupational Health and Safety Act

Intellectual property regulations

Scarborough Charter

Brock Co-op reserves the right to withdraw program participation from employers who fail to meet the outlined responsibilities. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

Employers and community partners that are working with CCEE must employ ethical recruitment practices that adhere to the Employment Standards Act 2000, Ontario Human Rights Code, Brock University Respectful Work & Learning Environment policy and the terms outlined here.

Employers who are visiting campus or hosting virtual sessions to engage with Brock students are expected to work with CCEE staff in the following ways:

• Table bookings in high-traffic campus hallways must be approved/arranged in advance by CCEE staff to ensure proper campus protocols are being followed and promotional efforts are being maximized with the intended audience.
• Employer showcases and information sessions (whether in-person or virtual) must be coordinated through CCEE staff and booked with a minimum of 5 weeks’ notice between confirmed booking date and anticipated session date. All relevant session details and marketing materials must be submitted to CCEE staff no later than 5 weeks prior to the confirmed session date. All promotional materials must adhere to CCEE’s equity, diversity & inclusion recruitment practices.
• Employers must have an active CareerZone account and must post their job on CareerZone if they are actively recruiting at the time of their on-campus (or virtual) engagement.
• Employers will respect and adhere to our cancellation protocol if they are no longer able to attend an on-campus or virtual event. CCEE provides employers/partners with a cancellation timeline and refund procedure when they register for an event. For individual bookings (including information sessions, Employer showcases, CareerZone takeovers and table talks), employers will provide advance notice of any change to their planned booking and will work with CCEE to reschedule or determine an alternative option, if needed.
• If Brock University closes due to inclement weather or other circumstances beyond the university’s control and an employer event/session is subsequently cancelled, Brock will not issue refunds for any deposits and/or payments made towards the booking/registration of the on-campus engagement. Rescheduling of employer events/sessions that are impacted by an unexpected university closure will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

CCEE prohibits the following recruitment strategies on campus:

Entering lecture/seminar rooms or labs prior to or during a scheduled class to promote employment opportunities and/or distribute employment materials. Exception for community partners who are invited by designated faculty or CCEE staff as part of an experiential course.
Using unauthorized common spaces on campus such as eating areas, lobbies, the library/learning commons, or other open seating areas to conduct impromptu recruiting activities.
Displaying employment advertisements/posters in unauthorized areas and/or in authorized areas without approval from CCEE.

Our online job board can be used by employers and community partners to promote opportunities that are suitable for students and recent graduates from a wide variety of disciplines. Community partners with unpaid internship and placement opportunities can promote these opportunities as part of approved experiential learning courses and/or co-curricular programming as outlined within our Unpaid Internship Guidelines.

Employers and community partners must have an active account on our job portal CareerZone and provide the following information in order to post an opportunity.

• Organization name, mailing address and phone number.
• Contact person name, phone number and email address.
• A complete posting which includes information about the organization, the job opportunity and the application process.
• An adequate/detailed description of the role and candidate qualifications.

Employers are expected to follow all relevant Canadian federal and provincial regulations when recruiting students for employment opportunities.

• Organizations that are recruiting from international and overseas destinations must also disclose information about eligibility criteria and work permit requirements.
  Employers and community partners who are working with CCEE to offer employment, internship and placement opportunities as part of curricular and/or co-curricular programming may be asked to report on hiring outcomes and complete progress reports on student learning and development.
• A mid-point and final evaluation of the student may be required.Students will complete a minimum of 1 reflection on their experience and may share their reflections with you as part of their growth and development.

CCEE will not accept the following types of job postings:

• Work that is pyramid-type or multi-level marketing in nature or work for organizations that are pyramid-type or multi-level marketing in structure.
• Work which requires the purchase of a product/service or a monetary deposit (up-front fee) as a condition of employment.
• Work that is unpaid, unless approved by Brock as part of an experiential learning course or co-curricular program.

Employers have many options for facilitating their interview and hiring processes with the support of the CCEE team. Interviews can be conducted on-site at Brock University’s main campus, on-site at the employer’s office location, or virtually via an approved online platform. Our expectations and processes ensure accountability of students, employers and the university.

• CCEE works with employers to support their hiring timelines and provides guidance to ensure alignment with peak on-campus recruitment activity. Employers who are engaged in a rank–and–match recruitment or a coordinated industry-specific practice are expected to follow the defined timelines and protocols for that process, as outlined by CCEE.
• Employers must provide a minimum of 2 business days-notice when requesting interview arrangements. CCEE staff will book an interview space (either physical or virtual), contact shortlisted candidates and create the interview schedule.
• Employers must provide candidates with a reasonable amount of notice for the interview.
• Offers of employment can be extended to students directly by the employer or by way of the CCEE team. Students are required to make a decision within 2 business days or less from the point at which the offer is made.
• Employers will advise CCEE of their preferred candidate(s) and hiring outcome upon completion of the recruitment process.

In some circumstances, CCEE will work with third-party recruiters to promote opportunities under the following conditions.

• When posting an opportunity, third-party recruiters must identify their employer client to CCEE staff. CCEE will treat this information as confidential, and it will not be shared on the job posting.
• When posting a co-op opportunity on behalf of a client, third-party recruiters will be asked to post the opportunity via the client organization’s account within our system in order to facilitate the application process and work-term record for co-op students, and issue a tax credit for the client organization.
• If it is determined that CCEE is already working directly with the identified employer for campus recruiting purposes, we reserve the right to decline the posting to avoid a conflict of interest and/or duplication of efforts.

Please visit the link here for more information.

When it comes to accommodation in the workplace, both employers and employees have certain rights and responsibilities. When an individual discloses to their employer that they have a disability for which they need accommodation, there are certain criteria that must be met. The following information was adapted from the Ontario Human Rights Commission Website.

Roles and Responsibilities

• inform their employers of their needs
• cooperate in obtaining necessary information, including medical or other expert opinions
• participate in discussions about solutions
• work with the employer and union on an ongoing basis to manage the accommodation process

• take an active role as partners in the accommodation process
• share joint responsibility with the employer to promote accommodation
• support accommodation measures regardless of the collective agreement

• accept requests for accommodation in good faith;
• request only information that is required to make the accommodation;
• obtain expert advice or opinion where necessary;
• take an active role in ensuring that possible solutions are examined;
• maintain the confidentiality of persons with disabilities;
• deal with accommodation requests in a timely way, and
• bear the cost of any required medical information or documentation.

Undue Hardship

The Ontario Human Rights Code prescribes three considerations in assessing whether an accommodation would cause undue hardship – Cost, Outside sources of funding, Health and Safety requirements.

Costs: A cost is ‘undue’ if it is so high that it affects the survival of the organization or business, or changes its essential nature. Such costs must be quantifiable and can include costs such as capital and operating costs and the cost of re-structuring. Human rights law recognizes that different businesses have different financial circumstances. What may be an ‘undue cost’ for a small business, may not be undue for a larger one. If the accommodation requires the business to fundamentally change what the business does, that may also be ‘undue’.

Outside Sources of Funding: Accommodation funds (often available in the public sector), as well as government grants or loans, can offset some costs, and should be considered in assessing undue hardship. If the cost of an accommodation is too large to carry out all at once, it may be possible to phase it in over time, or to create a reserve fund.

Health and Safety: Factors may limit the accommodation that is possible. However, it must first be decided whether any applicable health and safety requirements can be waived or modified, or if alternatives can be found to protect health and safety. If Ontario health and safety laws do not allow a health and safety requirement to be waived, equivalent safety measures can still be used. If the person with a disability wants to take on some degree of risk, this may be acceptable provided he or she is fully informed of the risk and there is no risk to anyone else. No one is entitled to assume a real and serious risk if there is a demonstrable probability of substantial harm to anyone.

Language to use

When writing or speaking about people with disabilities, it is important to put the person first. For example:

• A person has a disability; they are not a disabled person, the disabled or the handicapped
• A person uses a wheelchair; they are not confined to it

Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use a common phrase, such as ‘See you later’ or ‘Got to run’.

If in doubt…ask! An individual with a disability is the expert on their specific situation, and would appreciate someone taking the time to ask them how they can help, rather than assuming or ignoring.

Physical Disabilities Etiquette

When speaking with a person in a wheelchair, try to place yourself at eye level. Pull up a chair if the conversation is going to be lengthy.

Never lean or hold on to someone’s wheelchair, unless you have permission to assist in moving the chair. A wheelchair is part of someone’s personal space.

Be sensitive about physical contact – Some people with disabilities depend on their arms for balance. Grabbing them, even if your intention is to assist, could knock them off balance.

General Etiquette

Talk to the person – Don’t talk to them through another person or as if they are not there. Even when an interpreter is being used, speak directly to the person with whom you are having the conversation.

Ask before you help – Wait until your offer is accepted and then ask or listen for instructions as to how you can be of assistance.

Offer to shake hands – People with limited hand use or who wear an artificial limb can usually shake hands. Follow their lead, i.e. if they extend their opposite hand, change your hand as well.

Do not refer to people with disabilities as heroes. They are living their lives the same as everyone else, dealing with situations, attitudes and barriers. It’s a matter of perspective.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure of what to do.

Visual Impairments Etiquette

Speak to the person when you approach and state who you are.

If in a group, identify yourself and the person to whom you are speaking.

Do not attempt to lead the individual without first asking – allow the person to hold your arm and control their own movements.

Never touch or distract a service dog without first asking the owner – remember these dogs are working.

Be descriptive when giving directions – verbally give the person information that is visually obvious to individuals who can see. For example, if you are approaching steps, mention how many steps. Use the hands of a clock to identify directions.

When entering a strange room, give a brief orientation to the room, its dimensions and any potential barriers.

Hearing Impairments Etiquette

Do not shout – if the person can hear on their own or by using a hearing device, shouting will only serve to distort what you are saying.

Make sure that you have the person’s attention before speaking. Look directly at the person to whom you are speaking, and don’t turn your head away in the middle of a sentence.

If using an interpreter, don’t speak to the interpreter, and don’t tell the interpreter what to say, i.e. “Ask Bill how he is doing”. Speak directly to the person with the hearing impairment.

If there is no interpreter available, it is appropriate to communicate through writing.

Mental Health Disabilities Etiquette

Avoid making critical comments or pointing out any physical symptoms – unless they are obviously distressed or physically in danger.

Remain flexible and attentive to the person, not the disability.

Be patient and open minded.

According to the Conference Board of Canada, “beginning in 2014, if current trends continue, labour demand will exceed labour supply; therefore the projected gap will grow steadily larger. As a result, Ontario could face a shortfall of 190,000 workers in 2020 rising to 364,000 by 2025 and 564,000 by 2030.”

Hiring persons with disabilities makes good business sense. By developing a strategy to hire persons with disabilities, not only will you be tapping in to an under-utilized group of qualified employees, you’ll also be tapping into an often overlooked consumer market. It is estimated that in Canada, person with disabilities represent $25 billion in consumer spending. (Information provided by the Ontario Disabilities Support Program and the Region of Waterloo Training and Adjustment Board, 2007)

Myth:

Employees with disabilities will cause my WSIB (Workplace Safety & Insurance Board) rates to increase.

Fact:

Employers’ insurance rates are determined by the health and safety risk of your type of business, the size of your payroll, and on your company’s health and safety record. The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board can not increase your premiums because you have hired someone with a disability. Also, it is important to note that employees with disabilities have the same or better safety records than employees without disabilities.

MYTH:

Employees with disabilities have a higher turnover and absenteeism rate than employees without disabilities.

FACT:

Studies have shown that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than other employees, and in some cases have a lower absenteeism rate.

MYTH:

It is too expensive to accommodate employees with disabilities.

FACT:

Most employees with disabilities require little or no accommodation in the workplace. In many cases an employee already has any special equipment they may need, and if not, there are many government programs available to assist employers with these costs. Please see the section on Accommodation Information for details about these programs.

MYTH:

If an employee with a disability does not fit in or doesn’t work out, there is nothing I can do about it.

FACT:

Employees with disabilities should be treated the same as other employees in terms of expectations, opportunities and workplace standards. If an employee is not meeting performance expectations, follow the same procedures you normal would, for example: discuss the problem with the employee, look for solutions, document the situation and if necessary, terminate employment.

MYTH:

It is very difficult to interview individuals with disabilities because it is so easy to violate human rights laws.

FACT:

Use the same interview techniques and ask the same job-related questions that you would ask other applicants. Remember to focus on abilities rather than disabilities, and interviewing should be easy.

MYTH:

There aren’t many people with disabilities so it is not an issue for our company

FACT:

There are 4.4 million Canadians with disabilities – an increase of 12.4% from the 2001 disability rate and it is estimate that by 2026 that number will increase to 6.1 million

MYTH:

Employees with disabilities will miss too much work and won’t be able to effectively perform their job responsibilities

FACT:

Employers report performance rating of average or above average for 90% of employees with disabilities. Additional studies found:

• 86% of employees with disabilities have average or above average attendance records.
• 33% of employers say that persons a with disability work as hard as other employees while 46% say that persons with disabilities actually work harder.

Career Education follows the ‘Guidelines for Recruiting Graduates with Self-Declared Disabilities’ as set out by the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE). These guidelines build on the framework and specific activities developed in the CACEE Ethical Recruitment Guidelines document for the professional relationships between employers, students, third party recruiters and career educators.

Information Sessions & Showcases

An effective way to present your organization and its opportunities to students with disabilities. You can target your session to a specific group of students or open your session to all faculties & alumni. Our promotions team is glad to assist you in planning the logistics, providing necessary equipment and promoting your session through various media outlets.

Information sessions provide an opportunity to deliver a formal presentation and connect with a distinct group of students. Such sessions also provide students with a better sense of the qualifications necessary to join and grow within your company. The intimate seminar setting also allows for an informal networking session following the presentation.

Employer Showcases are a great opportunity for you to promote & describe the unique opportunities of your business to potential employees. Our promotions team can provide you with a table in one of our many high-traffic on-campus locations where students have the opportunity to connect with you one-on-one to learn the benefits of being a part of your organization.