You've just secured a job, congratulations! In co-op, we refer to a ‘work term’ as a 4-month period where you are working full-time at a co-op job, instead of studying. Work terms are typically categorized by semester– Winter (January to April), Summer (May to August), and Fall (September to December). You may end up working at a company for 1 to 4 work terms (i.e., 4 to 16 months) consecutively.
For each work term that you are on, there are certain co-op program deliverables you’ll need to complete to successfully pass the work term, in addition to meeting the expectations of your role with your employer. Here are the main deliverables for each work term you are responsible for as a co-op student:
Before the Work Term
Understand common workplace expectations and how to navigate the professional landscape
Start of Work Term
Meet with your supervisor to discuss your responsibilities, workplace expectations, and your learning objectives
Middle of Work Term
Check-in with the co-op program and complete your work term assignment
End of Work Term
Complete the student evaluation and review your supervisor's feedback to reflect on your work term
After the completion of each work term, you would return to your academic program, start a work term with a new employer, or continue with the same employer for another term. No matter where you’re headed, it’s always a good idea to understand and review your priorities, expectations, and learning objectives.
For a more detailed checklist of work term deliverables, visit the Undergraduate Work Term Checklist page.