Cooperative Education

Overview

• What is co-op?
• Is co-op mandatory?
• How does the co-op cycle work?
• What kinds of jobs are available?
• Where are most co-op jobs located?
• Can international students get co-op jobs?
• Can American students work co-op in other countries?
• What kinds of salaries can students on co-op expect?
• Am I guaranteed a job?
• Who are the co-op faculty members?

What is co-op?

Cooperative education is a unique educational strategy that seeks to educate the whole person. Co-op schools like Northeastern recognize that classroom learning provides only some of the skills students will need to succeed in their professional lives. Building on this knowledge, Northeastern has been a forerunner in developing a process which seeks not only to educate students in the academic realm, but in the professional realm as well. Based on a recent U.S. News and World Report ranking, it seems like our method is a success: Northeastern University is the #1 co-op school in the nation.

Cooperative education assignments are available throughout both the public and private sectors. Participation in co-op enhances a student's self-esteem, occupational information, and technical knowledge, while providing students with solid job-seeking and job-success skills as well.

Is co-op mandatory?

Almost all students in the college participate in co-op and find it to be an extremely worthwhile experience. Although cooperative education is not a requirement for graduation, it is strongly encouraged in the College of Computer and Information Science. Most undergraduates in the college participate in 3 co-op experiences of 6 months in length during their academic career. The faculty of the college believes that co-op strengthens the knowledge learned in the classroom by immersion in the practical problems that utilize that knowlege. We see that students experience significant personal and professional growth that is evidenced by their self-confidence, initiative, and technical skills.

How does the co-op cycle work?

The co-op cycle consists of three phases: Preparation, Activity, and Reflection.

Preparation consists of all of the steps necessary to get students ready to go out on co-op. This includes learning the basics of presenting yourself professionally, meeting with your co-op faculty coordinator to discuss your co-op and career goals, and providing your coordinator with employment-specific information. All students are required to take a co-op preparation course which helps them prepare their first "technical" resume and cover letter, practice for their first industry interview, develop a five-year plan for graduation, and learn about professional ethics. The preparation process culminates in a meeting called "Final Clearance," which students must pass in order to enter the Activity phase. Students must go through Final Clearance every time they seek a new co-op position.

Activity consists of seeking, finding, and working a co-op position. The CCIS Co-op Team has developed a number of jobs with local employers, which are contained in a database that students are allowed to search once they pass Final Clearance. Students indicate which companies they want their resumes sent to, and the faculty coordinators will send their resumes to those companies. Students are also encouraged to seek positions on their own. The co-op job search is, in most ways, exactly like the search for a permanent, professional job. Employers will contact students for interviews, hire those students they like, and offer whatever salary they think the student is worth. Students can accept or reject any job offers they receive. Once students accept an offer, however, they are obligated to work at least six months with that company before changing jobs (depending on the company's ability and willingness to keep the student).

For some students, Activity can include research experience, personal projects, volunteer work, or even travel.

Reflection occurs after each co-op period the student works. Students must attend a mandatory group meeting, in which they can discuss their co-op experiences, changes in the market, etc. They and their employers must complete an evaluation of their performance on the position, and the student discusses this evaluation with their co-op coordinator. Students receive a grade for each co-op semester, which is dependent on on their successful completion of all three phases.

NOTE: Several CCIS majors, such as those related to information science, vary in minor ways from the cycle described below. Students will learn extensively about the co-op cycle for each major during CS U222/223, the co-op preparation course.

The Preparation phase begins during the freshman year. Activity---the job search---begins during the sophomore year. If all goes well, students obtain co-op positions prior to the start of the actual co-op period. Students with less experience may have more difficulty finding positions, and may therefore require a longer and more intensive job search. In tight job markets, some students may need to spend the entire co-op period job seeking and working with their coordinator to try and improve their employability.

The freshman year is spent entirely in school, until Summer. At the end of this year, the freshman class is split into two Divisions. From this point forward, at any given time one division is out on co-op while the other is in classes. Here's how the pattern looks for a student who enrolls in CCIS as a freshman:

Five Year Academic/Co-op Pattern

• Freshman Year

	Fall	Spring	Sm1
	Class	Class	Vac

• Sophomore Year (Class splits into two divisions)

Sm2	Fall	Spring	Sm1
Vac	Class	Co-op
		Class	Vac

• Middle Year

Sm2	Fall	Spring	Sm1
Vac	Class	Co-op
Co-op	Co-op	Class	Class

• Junior Year

Sm2	Fall	Spring	Sm1
Class	Class	Co-op
Co-op	Co-op	Class	Class

• Senior Year

Sm2	Fall	Spring
Class	Class	Class
Co-op	Co-op	Class

More information on the co-op cycle is available in the Student information section.

What kinds of co-op jobs are available?

Co-op jobs are dependent on industry demand. The CCIS Co-op Faculty develop, review and approve each job to ensure that it is an appropriate learning experience, but otherwise no restrictions are made on the kinds of jobs students can work.

Students with little or no professional experience (but good grades and some demonstrable technical aptitude) can typically get jobs doing Quality Assurance/Testing, hardware or software support, web scripting, and other such entry-level positions. As they gain more experience and skill, they become eligible for more demanding positions in areas like database integration, network administration, or programming. Note that employers are rarely willing to hire inexperienced students for these sorts of upper-level positions, even if the student has the skill to do the job---keep in mind that employers are just as concerned about a student's maturity and professionalism, as they are about skill.

Where are most co-op jobs located?

Co-op jobs developed by the CCIS Co-op Faculty are mostly located in the Greater Boston area, since the vast majority of CCIS students are seeking positions in this area. A few jobs have been developed in other metropolitan areas such as New York, the Washington DC area, and Silicon Valley in California.

However, we encourage students not to rely solely on the CCIS co-op database to find a job. Students are encouraged to find their own jobs in any geographical area where they wish to work. CCIS students have worked in the US, India, Hong Kong, Korea, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and many other countries.

Can international students get co-op jobs?

Students on visas which allow practical training (such as the F1 and J1 visa) are permitted to go on co-op under a faculty coordinator's supervision. Because there are strict regulations governing co-op and practical training, international students are encouraged to discuss their situation with their faculty coordinator early.

Most employers are able to hire international students. Some employers who are government contractors (requiring US security clearance) are unable to hire international students or even Permanent Residents.

International students may also consider "home country co-op", in which they return to their country of origin to work during the six-month period. This does not deduct from the student's available practical training, and for some students it provides a welcome "vacation" from study abroad. Students who are considering this option should discuss it with their coordinators early.

Can American students work co-op in other countries?

Students who wish to find a new job in another country must work not only with the CCIS Co-op Faculty, but also with the International Co-op Office, which has a number of developed positions in other countries. These positions are of limited availability, and not all positions are English-language.

If you have relatives or contacts in another country who can help you develop a job on your own, the International Co-op Office can assist you in cutting through the "red tape" to work in that country.

What kinds of salaries can students on co-op expect?

Salaries are dependent on the market, the student's level of skill and experience, and the type of position/company. The Department of Cooperative Education surveys students each year to determine average salaries. Students in "technical" degree programs such as CS/IS on average earn more than students in liberal arts majors. According to the latest CCIS program survey (Spring 2008), the average CCIS co-op salary for undergraduate students was $17.25/hour.

The CCIS Co-op Faculty recommends that employers who wish to use co-op as a long-term recruiting tool should structure salaries as a percentage of the average starting salary of a newly-hired recent graduate (see below). The average starting salary for a new CS/IS graduate from Northeastern was $60,000, according to a survey of 2007 graduates conducted by the CCIS Co-op Faculty. This is only a guide, however. Market fluctuations, as well as the student's experience and ability, dictate the actual salary offer.

Recommended Co-op Salaries (revised Spring 2008)
Year in School	%*	Annual	Weekly	Hourly
Grad Student	100%	55,000	1057.69	26.44
Third Co-op	80%	44,000	846.15	21.15
Second Co-op	70%	38,500	740.38	18.51
First Co-op	55%	30,250	581.73	14.54

* Percentage of the average CCIS graduate starting salary.

Am I guaranteed a job?

The CCIS co-op process is designed to teach students about the realities of the high tech job market, which can be extremely volatile. This means that sometimes, in a tight job market, students with little experience or poor job-searching skills may have difficulty obtaining employment. Co-op faculty will work with these students, to try and help them improve their employability. This goes both ways, however. Students must complete all required co-op preparation tasks, and adhere to the rules of the program, in order for the process to be most effective. The co-op faculty are not miracle workers; they can't force companies to hire students, or create jobs where none exist. So this means that in rare cases, some students will spend their entire co-op period seeking a job or developing skills/experience for their next job search. So long as those students continue working with their coordinator, however, they will get credit and a satisfactory grade for the co-op quarter (because learning how to job search is definitely a useful experience!).

Who are the co-op faculty members?

Melvin Simms, Ed.D. is a Cooperative Educatiion Faculty Member and Assoicate Professor. He supervises all masters degree co-op students.

302G West Village H
Office hours: Available online at myneu.neu.edu
(617) 373-4244
E-mail: simms@ccs.neu.edu

Aileen Yates is a Cooperative Education Faculty Member and Academic Advising Coordinator. She supervises undergraduate co-op students whose last names end in A through F.

302D West Village H
Office hours: by appointment
(617) 373-4151
E-mail: a.kentyates@neu.edu

Melissa Irgens is a Cooperative Education Faculty Member and Academic Advising Coordinator. She supervises undergraduate co-op students whose last names end in G through M.

302A West Village H
Office hours: Available online at myneu.neu.edu
(617) 373-3787
E-mail: irgensm@ccs.neu.edu

Mark Erickson is the Director of the CCIS Cooperative Education Program and Academic Advising Coordinator . He supervises undergraduate students whose last names end in N through Z.

302F West Village H
Office hours: Available online at myneu.neu.edu
(617) 373-3458
E-mail: ericks@ccs.neu.edu