It allows students to apply abstract theories and skills learned in the classroom to real employment situations and prepares them to meet the challenges of the work world. We believe that all participants will realize a number of benefits and that a cooperative effort between educators and employers is the key to creating a prepared workforce to lead us into the next century. There are two types of co-op schedules. An estimated 75,000 to 85,000 employers nationwide hire co-op students. The federal government is the largest employer, hiring 16,000 students throughout 36 departments and agencies.
Cooperative education can help to decrease turnover in career positions.
Co-op partnerships allow employers to impact the education process. Benefits More and more students are choosing co-ops instead of, or in addition to, the more common internship programs. Employers submit detailed job descriptions to the co-op office. The co-op office will forward job descriptions to appropriate academic departments for approval and posting. The co-op office will refer all interested students who meet the qualifications specified in the job description.