Plan for your participation in the co-op process

You’ll get access to the Co-op Portal to apply for jobs at the beginning of the term before your upcoming work term. For example, if your work term is scheduled for the spring/summer term, you’ll get access to apply for jobs at the beginning of the winter term. Specific dates for each term are indicated in the key dates.

When planning your job search strategies for your upcoming work term, consider the following:

1. You’re expected to participate actively in the placement process by regularly applying to jobs in the Co-op Portal and Co-op IndEX. We post job opportunities on these platforms, and our program co-ordinators will make every effort to find jobs in your field of study.
   • Your active participation in the co-op job search process is important. If you don’t apply to any jobs in the Co-op Portal and don’t respond to emails from the co-op office, you risk losing access to job opportunities posted in the portal.
   • You’re responsible for attending all interviews for jobs you’ve applied to in the Co-op Portal. Interviews can’t be cancelled or rescheduled, except to accommodate mandatory lab classes, midterm and final exams or medical reasons. Supporting documentation is required.
   • Jobs posted on the Co-op IndEX are opportunities sourced by the co-op office team, but these employers have their own unique processes to follow. This includes scheduling their own interviews and making offers to students directly, without the co-op office as an intermediary.
   • You’re also encouraged to explore job opportunities outside the Co-op Portal and Co-op IndEX. You can learn more about searching for co-op positions outside these platforms in the Co-op Professional Development course on Brightspace.
      
2. If you’ve already found a co-op job outside the Co-op Portal, you must complete a job approval request form and submit it to the co-op office for review. The job must be a paid position related to your field of study and take place over your upcoming work term.
   • The form is located in the Co-op Portal. Log into the portal and access the Dashboard. Then, go to the bottom of the Dashboard, and select “My Co-op Forms”. The form is called “I found my own job.”
      
3. You could choose to return to a previous co-op employer if you’re offered the opportunity after a successful work term.
   • If you’re planning to return to a previous employer, email [email protected] to let us know. You must include written proof (including the salary and a job description if this information is different from the previous term) from your previous employer stating that they wish to have you return to work with them.
   • If you’re expecting an offer to return to a previous employer but haven’t yet received written confirmation, email [email protected] to let us know so we can keep track of your job search efforts.

To learn more about applying for jobs in the Co-op Portal and Co-op IndEX, check the resources in the Co-op Professional Development course on Brightspace.

You have multiple ways to apply to jobs

• You can apply to co-op jobs posted exclusively for University of Ottawa co-op students, via the Experiential Learning Platform (Co-op Portal)or the co-op app. You must participate in the "placement process" to apply to these jobs.
• Apply to other potential jobs on external websites through the IndEx tool. A walkthrough of how to apply to jobs on IndEX can be found lower on this webpage.

Applying to jobs on the Co-op Portal/Co-op app is a continuous process

Jobs are posted on the Co-op Portal regularly and the process is continuous. Employers will review applications once jobs are closed and begin their selection process for interviews. Students are responsible for regularly checking the Co-op Portal, applying to as many jobs as they can that related to their program of study, and attending any scheduled interviews. Learn more about the process through the Continuous Hiring Process - Best Practices webpage. 

Work term details must be submitted no later than three weeks after the start of your work term. This information will allow us to properly plan mid-term evaluations, even if they will only take place in the following weeks. You will receive reminder emails from the Co-op Office to submit your work term details. 

How to submit your Work Term Details

1. Log into the Co-op Portal and click on “My Evaluations”.
2. Next to your current work-term, click on “Mid-term evaluation”.
3. Complete all required fields under “Work-term details” (Part 1).
4. Don’t forget to “Save”.

If you don’t yet have all the required information:

Enter the expected start date of your placement (this will be very useful for us in planning). You can then fill in the other fields once you have the information in question. Only the placement start date can be saved without providing the other information.  

If you still don’t have your placement start date 2-3 weeks after the term has started, update us by emailing [email protected] or responding directly to any reminder email you may have received. 

Setting your competency development objectives for the work term

• Competency development objectives (also known as work term objectives) help you give your very best - and have the best possible placement experience.
• Throughout your work term, you will complete a mid-term evaluation. This is a mid-point check-in to have a structured discussion with your supervisor about your competency development objectives and goals you have set for the work term. For more information about the goal setting process, refer to the Co-op Professional Development course on Brightspace. 
• You must fill out your work term objectives before your mid-term evaluation. This is done in the same form as your work term details explained in the section above. 
• The goals you set for your work term will be used as topics of reflection for your mid-term evaluation, your reflective work term report, and your final evaluation. 
• The mid-term evaluation, the final evaluation and the reflective work term report are all mandatory requirements of your co-op work term.

How to submit your Competency Development Objectives

1. Log into the Co-op Portal and click on the tab "My Evaluations"
2. Next to your current work-term, click on “Mid-term evaluation”.
3. Enter the requested information
4. Don’t forget to “Save”.

Elements to Consider

• Your goals may change and evolve over the course of your experiences and should be revised regularly.
• If you do not achieve 100% of your objectives at the end of your experience, simply explain the reasons in your reflections.
• Use the SMARTS formula to assess the accuracy of your objectives as well as the actions you took to achieve them, the results, and the outcomes.
• Use a journal to keep track of your thoughts and experiences, as these valuable notes could be used to evaluate your goals or as anecdotal examples in your reflective evaluation.

Employer and Student Final Evaluations 

• Towards the end of your work term, you will be asked to complete a final evaluation. This evaluation is called “Post Work-Term Evaluation” and is found in the “My Evaluations” tab on the Co-op Portal. 
• This is a mandatory evaluation that is only viewed by you and the Co-op Office. Your employer does not have access to the information you submit in this evaluation. 
• Your feedback is essential for the improvement of the co-op program. Final evaluations are reviewed by the Co-op Office team in detail. 
• Employers must also complete a final evaluation. You can access this evaluation and the information submitted by your employer by clicking on “Employer Evaluation” in the correct term drop-down menu on the “My Evaluations” tab of the Co-op Portal. 

Your Reflective Report is the final element to submit at the end of your work term. The report includes your reflections on your experience and the objectives you set during your work term. The report is a template to be completed and can be found on the Co-op Portal. Access the Co-op Portal, go to “My Documents” and click on “My Work-Term Reports”. You will see a button in the top right corner to download the work term report template. 

How to submit your Reflective Report

1. Log into the Co-op Portal and click on the tab "My Evaluations"
2. Next to your current work-term, click on “Work-Term Report”.
3. Upload your Report

Why are there different dates to submit my reflective report?

Hundreds of co-op students will submit their work term reports at the same time. To evenly distribute the load on the servers and ensure the system functions properly, we suggest dates for submission of work term reports by faculty. This will avoid excessive system traffic on the deadline for submitting reports through the Co-op Portal.

The official deadline remains indicated in the key dates, but if you can, please submit your report by the suggested date for your faculty.