Thank you for welcoming a UBC student to your team. As a supervisor, you play a critical role in shaping their professional development by providing meaningful work, constructive guidance, and opportunities to apply academic learning in a real-world, professional employment setting. This guide outlines key responsibilities, recommended practices, and available supports to ensure a successful co-operative education (co-op) experience for both you and your student.
Support from the Engineering and Architecture Co-op Office
Our Co-op Team is here to support both you and your student throughout the work term(s).
Contact us anytime:
- apsc.coop@ubc.ca
- 604-822-3022
Each student has an assigned Co-op Career Advisor, who is familiar with the student and is available to provide support. Your student can share their Advisor’s contact details with you.
If any concerns arise at any point, please contact the Co-op Office as soon as possible – we are here to assist. If there are changes at the workplace that may impact the student’s employment, or you have concerns regarding your student, a Co‐op Advisor will follow up and work with you and the student to resolve the issue, as appropriate.
Before the Work Term Begins
To support a smooth start, we encourage employers to send a welcome email approximately a week prior to the student’s start date. This message can help set expectations for the first day and can include:
Start time
Where to and to who to ask for upon arrival; including building/site access
The anticipated work schedule for the first week
Who to contact in the event of delays or unexpected issues on the first day
Additional: dress code, parking (vehicle, bike), and/or remote-work instructions, if applicable
For many students, this may be their first experience in a professional workplace. Providing these details in advance can significantly reduce any first-day uncertainty and help students arrive prepared and confident.
The First Days: Orientation and Policies
During the student’s first day or first week, please review key workplace policies with your student, including:
Work schedule expectations (e.g. core hours, reporting sick days, vacation, appointments)
Use of company computers, Internet, communication tools, and personal devices
Confidentiality and intellectual property guidelines
Organizational structure
Providing this context early, both for your organization and specific unit, will help the student integrate into your team quickly and professionally.
Safety and Job-Specific Training
New employees often require specific training to work safely and effectively. Please ensure your student receives all relevant training and information, including:
Required safety training and briefings; including emergency preparedness
Job-specific technical training
Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
Clear guidance on how to report bullying or harassment, including sexual harassment, and who to contact for support
Identification of the designated health and safety contact person (e.g., supervisor, safety officer) and instructions on how to report incidents or hazards
Clear instruction on health, safety, and regulatory expectations related to engineering/design practice.
Setting Goals and Expectations
Early alignment helps set the student up for success. Discuss:
The student’s role and core responsibilities
Project timelines and deliverables
Your supervisory style and preferred communication methods
How and when you will provide feedback
These conversations help students establish meaningful Learning Objectives that outline what they aim to accomplish and develop during the work term.
Supporting Learning and Development
Students learn best when exposed to a mix of instruction, practice, and reflection. Consider:
Offering brief “just-in-time” coaching on unfamiliar topics
Pairing the student with a mentor
Directing the student to resources (e.g., websites, internal/external documents, textbooks, etc.) to support their independent learning
Encouraging them to maintain a notebook or portfolio
Encouraging participation in training opportunities, when possible
Having the student deliver a presentation to you and your team of the knowledge they’ve acquired and/or a specific project at the end of the work term
Ongoing Feedback and Communication
Students thrive with regular, constructive feedback allowing them to measure their progress and their contributions to your organization. Please:
Offer frequent feedback and guidance
Highlight strengths and areas for improvement
Encourage questions
Regular Check-ins
Schedule regular check-ins with your student to:
Monitor progress and review work
Adjust workload
Address any concerns or issues
Support integration into meetings, workplace teams, and social/team activities
Midpoint Work Term Check-in
Approximately midway through each 4-month work term, you will be asked to complete a work term check-in to provide feedback on the performance of your student. One of the following check-in formats will be scheduled:
Virtual (or Phone) Check-in: The Co-op Administrative team will work with the student to coordinate this meeting. The Co-op Advisor will have a brief conversation with you (10 - 15 minutes) and then a separate conversation with the student (10 - 15 minutes).
Online eCheck-in: You will receive an email invitation with a link to a short online form, to answer a few brief questions about your student. The student may receive this feedback from their Co-op Advisor, as appropriate.
If any significant concerns arise at any point during the work term, please contact the Co-op Office as soon as possible. Do not wait for the work term check-in or end of term evaluation.
Work Term Assignment Support
Each student is required to complete an assignment to fulfill the academic portion of each 4-month work term. The assignments vary depending on the work term being completed, it will be either be:
Self-reflective in nature,
Developing the student’s professional presence and network, or
A technical a report, memo, or presentation.*
*Please note: Students complete the assignments independently. However, you may be asked to assist with topic identification or to complete the evaluation if you deem the technical assignment topic confidential.
End-of-Term Evaluation
At the end of each 4-month work term, supervisors will receive an email from the Co-op Office with a link to the online evaluation form. The purpose of this is to assess the student’s overall performance. Please review it with the student before submission, as the student will have full access online to review the completed evaluation.
Reminder: a single work term shadows the parallel academic term e.g. January – April, while the employment contract may cover multiple work terms.
Supervisor Quick Reference Checklist
Before the Student Arrives:
Prepare workspace and access
Plan safety and technical training
Send welcome introduction email
Review policies
Weeks One and Two:
Introduce student to the team
Review duties
Set communication routines
Discuss work term learning objectives
Throughout Term:
Provide regular feedback
Integrate student into the workplace
Support development of professionalism and technical skills and knowledge
Participate in/complete the co-op mid-term check-in
End of Term:
Complete term end evaluation
Review feedback with student
