During your Co-op Journey you will be able to participate in specific programming and have access to a variety of services and supports that are student-centred and will prepare you for each of the different phases in your co-op program. The various programming, and services/supports were developed and designed around the university wide Career Development Model and Brock’s Core Competencies. Students who participate in the programming and services available will further enhance their success in the Co-op program and have an increased understanding of their next steps to secure a work experience and increase their engagement with the Co-op Education Team.
How does Co-op help to explore your possibilities?
- Attend Co-op Orientation to learn more about your Co-op journey and understand the expectations and next steps for the program.
- Participate in a Year 1 Programming Session that will give the opportunity to learn about the Career Development Model and the importance of self-reflection to identify and develop individualized strengths.
- Complete personality and career assessments to build a deeper level of awareness about yourself, your skills/competencies and how these can be transferred from one environment to another.
- Create a narrative that highlights your transferable skills and focuses on how your past experiences (volunteer, co-curricular, work, academic, etc.) relate to experiences you would have in a work environment.
- Understand and articulate your skills and abilities through small group workshops relating to your career development including resumes, cover letters, interviews, LinkedIn, and networking!
- Meet 1:1 with your talent coach for job search strategy, to reflect on your skills and experience to discover co-op industries and positions for your aspiring career goals
- Discover and develop your job search strengths
- Attend a Skills Translation Year 1 Programming Session that will dive into the “why” of building an experience portfolio and learn how your unique strengths translate into foundational skills and connect back to Brock’s Competencies.
- Meet with your Transition Advisor to explore how you can have continued success during your co-op journey.
- Research employers who work in various industries or companies of interest and conduct an informational interview to gain insight and understanding into different roles
along with recruitment and employer expectations. - Participate in career exploration appointments to understand your professional skills, interests and abilities and the career opportunities available to you.
- Review suitable job postings through Brock Co-op’s supported job board
- Work with your talent coach to find suitable positions on external job boards
- Attend networking and recruiting events based on your career interests
- Experience More and Explore Who’s in Your Co-op Corner by attending a fair to explore and connect with various on-campus partners, to assist in identifying and discussing ways of getting involved on and off-campus to build your experience & skills portfolio.
- Connect with the Co-op Education Office to review the possibilities and how you can get involved more on campus.
- Participate in employer engagement events to expand your professional network and demonstrate appropriate interview and networking strategies (in-person, phone, virtual).
- Engage in 1:1 practice and support for professional interviews to develop your confidence and help you secure your work term experience.
- Engage in real-world interviews and develop networking experience to help you secure your work term.
- Gain competitive industry work experience once you’ve secured your work term.
- Join a Year 1 Workshop that will activate your strengths through reflection and by seeing the bigger picture and mapping your first year to identify concrete experiences that connect to a skill or competency that has been developed, as well as recognize possible skill gaps that can be further built upon.
- Review with your Transition Advisor the next steps beyond your first year.
- Create and customize a cover letter specific to a job posting of interest.
- Build a resume that quantifies your experiences, showcases your value and connects you to the specific job posting requirements.
- Create a self-marketing pitch to share your story and highlight how your experiences, skills and competencies are an asset to employers.
- Take your knowledge gained in the professional preparation course and update your resume using an AI system while incorporating personalized feedback to prepare your resume for your job search.
- Work with your talent coach to develop a job search plan, including your job search schedule, job search strategy, and learn application and offer procedures
Your Co-op Journey at-a-glance
A view of the Co-op Cycle and what you can expect during the different phases of the program.
Planning Ahead: Explore your talents
Spend your first year engaging with fellow co-op students as you participate in programming geared towards your career exploration and development. Gain insight of what to expect in your co-op journey and how you can start building your skills and experiences, by meeting with the Transition Advisor who can share on campus support and resources for continued success in the program.
Getting Prepared: Analyze your skills and competencies
The N90 Professional Preparation Course will allow you to increase your communication skills, improve your ability to make more informed career and co-op decisions, have a realistic action plan and be able to confidently compete for job opportunities with a polished resume and cover letter, along with a professional self-marketing pitch appropriate to a wide range of audiences.
Building Your Brand: Understand your professional image
Before and during your job search, work directly with a Talent Development Specialist to understand the concept of your professional brand. While you reflect on your experience and interests, our team will help you to identify and articulate your relevant skills to market yourself effectively to employers as you prepare for your co-op job search.
Getting Hired: Secure your Co-op work term
During your job search, get to know your Talent Coach as you begin searching for your co-op work term. You will work closely together to develop a job search plan and put it into action to secure your co-op work term. Your Talent Coach will be there to support you along the way and answer all your questions.
Gaining Experience: Start your Co-op work term
On your work term, take everything you’ve learned and put it into action in a professional environment. Your Talent Coach will continue to support you in setting learning objectives as you start your work term and reflecting on your experience as you complete your work term.
