Cooperative Education

For more information about MTS Co-op, talk to a Co-op teacher or your Guidance Counsellor today! 

 
Why participate in Co-op? 

  

• Enhance your high school experience by taking part in Cooperative education. 
• This type of learning can help students who are bound for an apprenticeship, college, university or the workplace. 
• It can assist students in career exploration and with making career decisions while developing the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are essential in the workforce. 
• Employers are looking for employees who have work experience. Some of our Co-op students receive job offers from their Co-op employers. 
• Co-op is an excellent way to get a head start on your future career! 

  

• You can earn 2 or more credits toward your OSSD by working either in the morning (ex. 8:00 am to 11:00 am) or afternoon (ex. 11:30 am to 2:30 pm). Full day co-op is also available. Please discuss with guidance. 
• Between school in-class days and the workplace; 220 hours are needed for earning 2 credits. 

 
Where do I find a placement? 

  

• In collaboration with your guidance counsellor and Co-op teacher, you will be required to attend an information session held in April each year, complete an intake and application form and provide teacher references before having an interview with a Co-op teacher, where together you will discuss and decide on the best placement for you. 
• In collaboration with your Co-op teacher, a placement is found. Students are asked to find three possible contacts.  
• Every effort is made to find a placement in the student’s preferred industry. This is not guaranteed. When the student does not meet the criteria to be hired by a placement in a preferred industry, the student can remain in the co-op course in a placement for general work experience.  
• A pre-requisite link course is required. For example, students working at a veterinary clinic can link their Co-op to SBI3C or SBI3U. 
• Due to the competitiveness of certain placements, Co-op placements cannot be guaranteed (ex. police station, hospitals, military, trades). 

 

Transportation 

• Transportation is not provided or paid by the school for Co-op 
• Bus tickets are NOT provided  
• Student are required to get themselves to and from their Co-op placement through self-funded public transportation or family support.  

 

What types of students are involved? 

• All MTS secondary school students are eligible to participate in Cooperative education in Grades 11 and 12. 
• It recommended that students have a Social Insurance Number prior to the start of Co-op 
• Some may be planning to join the work force or want to learn a skilled trade through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). 
• Others may plan to attend community college or university and may be part of our SHSM Co-op. 
• Students can do Co-op without being part of a special Co-op program! 

 

Special Co-op Programs: 

 

Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM): 

• SHSMs in either Health and Wellness, Information Communication Technology (ICT), Non-Profit (Education and Childcare), Aviation, Construction and are being offered at MTS 
• SHSMs provide knowledge, skills, certifications and career experiences 
• Includes a Co-op component (usually linked to a Grade 11 or 12 course) 
• For students heading to the workplace, to college or to university 
• Students who successfully meet all SHSM requirements will graduate with an SHSM Ontario Secondary School Diploma 
• Visit below link for more information:  

LINK

 

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP): 

• Students can register in the OYAP program while in Grades 11 or 12 and work in an OYAP approved Co-op placement 
• The hours worked at Co-op might be accepted towards the hours required for their apprenticeship 
• Trade placements require experience on tools through work experience and/or high school technology courses prior to Co-op.  
• To be eligible for participation in OYAP, students must:  
• Have successfully completed a minimum of 14 credits toward their OSSD;  
•  Be at least 15 years of age; and,  
•  Be enrolled full-time or part-time in a secondary school  
• Visit below link for more information:  
• LINK

 

Special Programs and Applications: 

 

OYAP FAST (Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training) 

• To be eligible for OYAP-FAST), students must:  
• Meet the OYAP eligibility requirements 
• Students participating in OYAP-FAST must:  
•  Earn 8 to 11 cooperative education credits with their placement component in the skilled trades;  

• Register as an apprentice (obtain an RTA) by the time they complete the 8th cooperative education credit. 

• Once a student has completed these requirements and all other OSSD requirements, they will be awarded the OYAP-FAST seal on their OSSD. Please refer to LINK  for additional details.  

 

Canadian Armed Forces (Army and Navy):

• Apply online:  LINK
• Army
  • Army Reserve Co-op Program
  • LRRG A Process Guide
  • Occupations
• Navy
  • Navy Co-op Information Package

 

London Hospital Applications: 

 

St. Joseph’s Hospital  

  

• St. Joseph's Hospital- Volunteering Application Website 

 

University and Victoria Hospitals 

 

• LHSC- London Health Science Centre (All other Hospitals in London)- High School Co-op Website 

• Letter of intent that includes:
  • Why are you interested in a Co-op placement
  • Provide details of your educational background (course interests) as well as information about any extracurricular activities

• Please Note: the application regarding High School Co-op placements for LHSC will be open for application in mid-August and mid-December.  The window to apply is time sensitive as it is only open for a few weeks. Semester 1 Co-op students are required to make applications in August. Semester 2 students are required to apply in December.  

 

 

London Police Services: 

• LINK
• Contact co-op teacher and/or guidance first  
• This is a highly competitive program where 4 students from the city are chosen each semester through an interview process with the London Police. 
• Recommended to be in Grade 12 and have prior experience to be competitive for this program. E.g. SHSM, First Aid, life guarding, Youth in Policing Initiative program, leadership experience, work experience.  

 

Engineering at Western:  

LINK 

• Chemical 
• Civil and Environmental  
• Bio-Medical 
• Mechanical  
• Outreach through Discovery Western

• Letter of intent (500 words or less)  
  • Who you are, what relevant courses you've taken, what you have done (clubs, extracurriculars, volunteer), accomplishments and achievements.  
  • Explain WHY you want a placement at Western Engineering. Use self-reflection and specific examples/support your points with connections as why this placement is important to you. Connect to your future goals 
• Resume 
• Transcript 
• Two character references  
• Email for other engineering opportunities: [email protected] 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions:  

 

Co-op FAQs for Students and Parents 

 

1. Does the student get paid? 

 

1. Co-op students earn high school credits, but do not get paid. Some employers choose to provide a modest honorarium to assist students with work related expenses, however, this is not common and is not expected. 

 

1. Can the student be hired by the employer? 

 

1. The aim of co-op is to earn credits while obtaining experience in the workplace. Many employers are not in the position to hire students, and some employers leave a space open to accept co-op students on a regular basis. If a position does become available, students may accept the opportunity if it does not interfere with the Work Education Agreement which clearly identifies designated co-op hours. Therefore, the student can only be hired outside of co-op hours, and they should then be insured by the company during paid employment hours. 

 

1. How does the student get to and from the placement? 

 

1. Transportation to and from the placement is the responsibility of the student. The LDCSB recommends public transportation. All travel expenses are paid for by the student. 

 

1. Can Co-op hours be used as Community Involvement Hours? 

 

1. Co-op and Community Involvement are not the same. Through co-op, students benefit by gaining personal work experience. Community Involvement hours, on the other hand, involve volunteer opportunities where the community benefits. Students cannot count co-op hours toward their Community Involvement diploma requirement. For more information regarding Community Involvement, click on the link Community Involvement. 

 

1. Are students insured? 

 

1. A Work Education Agreement (WEA) is completed for each student and is signed by the student, co-op teacher, employer, and parent (if the student is under 18 years of age). Through the WEA, students are covered by WSIB (Workplace Safety Insurance Board) while at their placements. Please note that students who are placed at an elementary school, with a certified teacher, are not covered through WSIB, but are instead covered by OSBIE. In addition, parents or students 18 or older may consider purchasing their own insurance. 

 

1. What if the student doesn't like his or her placement? 

 

1. Prior to attending the placements, all students are interviewed by the co-op teacher to match students to placements. In addition, students attend approximately three weeks of pre-placement classes to prepare for this endeavour. Students who positively participate, communicate with co-workers, demonstrate on-going initiative and enthusiasm will be most successful in this partnership experience. When students sign the Work Education Agreement, they are making a commitment to this placement. It is very rare for students to be relocated. The co-op teacher will assist wherever possible to maximize learning and personal growth. 

 

1. What if a student isn't fitting in with the placement? 

 

1. If the student is not adjusting well to placement expectations, the employer has the right to dismiss the student. The aim is to give students a realistic work experience and help them understand what it takes to get and keep a job. The cooperative education program is giving students an opportunity to learn and grow while trying to meet realistic employment opportunities as experienced by all new employees. The co-op teacher, and possibly the principal, will continue to work with this student. If, at this point, the student is unwilling or unable to change his or her focus or behaviour, credits may be in jeopardy. If the student can make meaningful adjustments, a new placement may be found if time and circumstances permit. 

 

 

  

MTS Co-op teachers have worked with 
hundreds of MTS students in careers from A to Z! 
What better way is there to learn about a career than 
by actually experiencing it first-hand? 

London District Catholic School Board 

Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School