Employer Information





	EMPLOYER INFORMATION Table of Contents: How Co-op Works For Employers After Hiring Profile of Participating Students From the University Side Characterization of a Good Co-op The Cooperative Education Concept Meeting Employer Needs Co-op is Cost-Effective How it works for employers The University professional co-op staff facilitates the placement process, serving as liaison between the employer and the University and its students. The employer sets whatever requirements are appropriate for the position offered. A job description is developed and provided to the college. Specified selection criteria may include college year, grade point average, specific course background, and personal qualities. The college coordinator reviews/interviews candidates and refers the resumes of those which meet the employer's requirements. The employer decides whom to invite for an interview. Interviews are arranged either at the company or on campus. The employer decides whom to hire and makes the job offer. The student accepts the employer's offer of the co-op position under the conditions (salary, schedule, assignment, and continued placement) established by the employer. As employees, co-ops are subject to all regular personnel policies and procedures. The co-op staff monitors student work and academic progress toward graduation, assisting the employer to plan for regular hiring, if appropriate. The placement terms are on a 4-month, trimester schedule: Fall: September-December Winter: January-April Summer: May-August We prefer that students have two training periods, but employers determine their own staffing needs. Students in the co-op program may work for more than one employer during the course of their college co-op program. Back To Top After hiring an evaluation site-visit will be conducted at mid-term by the college coordinator. a performance evaluation will be submitted by the employer to the college. On the 4-month full-time work assignment, employers can provide for filling the position on a year-round basis by selecting two qualified students to work and study on an alternating basis. The Work/Classroom Sequence Student #1 Student #2 1st semester: Work Classroom 2nd semester: Classroom Work 3rd semester: Work Classroom 4th semester: Classroom Work On a parallel part-time work assignment, employers can provide for filling the position all day by selecting two qualified students to work opposite each other on morning and afternoon shifts. Each would attend classes on the off-work half of the day. Back To Top Profile of Participating Students Co-ops are students admitted to a College of Arts, Sciences & Letters degree program. Students are eligible to co-op after the freshman year. Each must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.25, which is higher than for general "good standing." Students are pursuing a variety of specific concentrations, but are identifiable in terms of specific analytic, quantitative, and communication skills by way of foundation courses. Fields of Academic Concentration B.S. and B.A. Degrees College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters American Studies Criminal Justice Studies Mathematics and Statistics Women's and Gender Studies Liberal Studies General Studies Natural Sciences: Humanities Biological Sciences Art History Biochemistry Communications Chemistry English Earth Science French Studies Environmental Science Hispanic Studies Environmental Studies Humanities Microbiology International Studies Physics Philosophy Behavioral Sciences: Social Sciences: Anthropology Economics Health Policy Studies History Psychology Political Science Sociology Back To Top From the university side The primary goal of the University co-op program is to place students in work assignments designed to complement and enrich their educational and career development. Students hired into co-op positions register and pay tuition for co-op. Co-op students are accountable to faculty for the learning outcomes of the experience. College credit is awarded for the experiential learning. Students must comply with the on-campus study term requirements of either the alternating or parallel co-op schedules. Back To Top A good co-op placement is characterized by planned and increasingly challenging assignments for the co-op student. professional supervision by an interested person on the work site. regular evaluation of student performance. recommendation as to the second and continuing work assignment. `Note: Students should not be "hired away" before completion of their degree programs.` Back To Top The cooperative education concept The University of Michigan-Dearborn recognized the importance of Cooperative Education when the campus was founded in 1959. In the 40+ years since, the UM-D has maintained a tradition of excellence, linking education to the employer community by giving emphasis to "the external classroom." Co-op is a nationally recognized educational plan which enables students to integrate practical work-experience, career interests, and academic studies. With increased demands for competency in "the world of work," development and training is a mutual human resource goal for the 21st century. Co-op is the University program which provides the structure to meet these education/employment demands. Participating employers offer either full-time or part-time, paid work assignments to students enrolled in the college co-op program. Students then alternate periods of work with periods of classroom studies. At UM-D the co-op concept was extended to the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL) in 1973. The program is optional, but is open to all majors in the College. Under the "Liberal Arts Co-op Program," students may be hired under any of three options as determined by the employer: Alternating full-time: a paid, full-time (40 hrs./week) work-term (4 months) is followed by a full-time on-campus study-term; a student alternates work/study for 2, 3, or even 4 work-terms. Parallel part-time: the paid, 20-hour a week work assignment extends over 2 or more consecutive terms (8 months or more). Campus studies are concurrent with the work-term(s). Summer only: paid, full-time work, for the 4-month spring/summer term. Ideally, assignments would extend over consecutive summers, and/or merge to a parallel part-time arrangement during the fall and winter terms, so as to emulate the development concept of cooperative education. Back To Top Meeting employer needs Cooperative Education is a source of well qualified, pre-screened, highly motivated employees. Candidates are readily available from a conscientiously administered, University-based program which is well-designed, reliable, and fully-tested. Co-op can help employers... cut recruitment costs. provide for both short-term and long-term employment needs. locate highly motivated college-trained students who can be immediately productive. relieve high salaried professionals from time-consuming tasks that are excellent learning experiences for students. observe the potential and performance of future employees without an obligation to hire. train future employees to specific needs. develop a staff which has a proven high job retention rate. Back To Top Co-op is cost effective Employers are exempt from paying unemployment compensation taxes on co-op student-employees. Wages and fringe benefits are generally less extensive than for regular employees. Initial orientation and training costs are offset by the immediate productivity and increased efficiency of co-ops returning/continuing in later work-assignments. Co-ops hired as regular employees upon graduation are a known quantity, entering the regular work force at peak productivity levels. Back To Top For further information: Director of Cooperative Education College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan 48128-1491. ph. (313) 593-5188. The School of Management (313-593-5249) and the School of Engineering (313-593-5078) each have separate co-op programs for students in the B.B.A. and the engineering curricula. The University of Michigan, as an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, complies with applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is the policy of the University of Michigan that no person, on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, handicap, or Vietnam-era veteran status, shall be discriminated against in employment, educational programs and activities, or admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the University's Director of Affirmative Action, Title IX and Section 504 Compliance, 2012 Fleming Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1340, (313) 763-0235. University of Michigan-Dearborn inquiries may be addressed to the Dearborn Affirmative Action Coordinator, Office of the Chancellor, Dearborn, Michigan 48128-1491, (313) 593-5320. Back To Top			CASL Home Page Co-Op Home Page What is Co-Op? Employer Information Staff Requirements Student Benefits Companies Student Forms Other Experiential Education