Co-op Student Resources
Co-op Standard Sequence: 40 hours per week for alternating semesters
|
Fall Seemster (September - December) |
Winter Semester (January - April) |
Summer Semester (May - August) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Freshman (Year 1) |
Foundation Courses |
Foundation Courses |
Open (not-for-credit internship) |
|
Sophomore (Year 2) |
Foundation Courses |
Foundation Courses |
► Co-op I |
|
Junior (Year 3) |
Program Courses |
► Co-op II |
Program Courses |
|
Senior (Year 4) |
► Co-op III |
Program Courses & Senior Project |
Program Courses & Senior Project |
If interested in a Winter Co-op I start for a standard co-op sequence or in a flexible part-time co-op sequence, contact the Co-op Coordinator, Ethan Tanis, [email protected]. Ethan can assist in the planning necessary for part-time work (6 consecutive semesters, 20 hours per week) while enrolling in part-time coursework; this is referred to as a “Flex” schedule.
HOW TO OBTAIN A CO-OP
STEP 1: PREPARE FOR THE COURSE ENROLLMENT PROCESS & OBTAIN APPROVAL TO ACCEPT A CO-OP
Co-op-seeking students must obtain approval from the Padnos College of Engineering (PCE) before they can accept a co-op rotation.
Task 1 (optional): Consider a non-academic internship after freshmen year. Schedule a meeting with a career center advisor for resumes, interviewing, and potential internships that may lead to a co-op offer.
Task 2: Register and complete EGR289: Engineering Professionalism (Fall only). This course helps co-op-seeking students to understand the program requirements and expectations. It also provides development of application documents, interview skills, and search strategies.
Task 3: Obtain formal PCE approval to accept a co-op. This occurs after fall grades are finalized for EGR289 students. Students must have a “C” or better in all Foundational courses and Foundational GPA greater than 2.70, with no more than one foundation class remaining prior to the first co-op semester. Students can obtain earlier approval (October) if their Foundational GPA is 3.2 or greater.
TASK 4: Complete the “Co-op Student Agreement” Survey –Co-op approval is necessary to gain access to the "Co-op Student Agreement" Survey. A student agreement survey link is included in the formal approval email sent from PCE (Task 3). You must complete the survey to gain access to Submit an Experience in Handshake (STEP 3 below).
STEP 2: SECURE A POSITION
Students can begin searching, applying, and interviewing for co-ops before PCE approval but cannot accept a co-op offer until they have been granted formal permission by the PCE. Securing a co-op position is ultimately the responsibility of the student. Students should work with the Career Center for 1:1 search strategy assistance and attend GV Career Fairs and Events to meet with potential co-op employers. If the student secures a co-op offer from an employer that is not on the Handshake list of approved employers, send the employer contact information (name, title, email, phone) to the PCE Co-op Coordinator, Ethan Tanis, [email protected]
SCHEDULE A CAREER CENTER APPOINTMENT IN HANDSHAKE FIND CAREER FAIRS & EVENTS IN HANDSHAKE
Use Handshake to search for co-ops and find the full list of approved co-op employers. WATCH THIS VIDEO for a tutorial on finding curated co-op options and approved co-op employers. Students are welcome to connect and apply with non-approved engineering employers, but sites will ultimately only become approved at the discretion of the Co-op Coordinator and PCE program.
SEARCH JOBS IN HANDSHAKE FIND THE APPROVED CO-OP EMPLOYERS LIST IN HANDSHAKE
STEP 3: SUBMIT AN EXPERIENCE IN HANDSHAKE WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAYS OF ACCEPTING AN OFFER & REGISTER FOR THE APPOPRIATE CONCURRENT COURSES
Students gain access to this Handshake reporting feature after they complete the “Co-op Student Agreement” survey as required in STEP 1 above. In Handshake, navigate to the Career Center tab and click "Experiences" to "Submit an Experience." WATCH THIS VIDEO for a tutorial on navigating Experiences in Handshake. After submission of the experience, approval notifications will be routed to the employer and other contacts. Unapproved co-op employers will be vetted by the Co-op Coordinator at the time of submission. Experiences for Summer co-ops should be submitted no later than April 15.
SUBMIT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN HANDSHAKE
NOTE: Students completing an out-of-sequence co-op (alternative to summer Co-op I start date) or a Flex schedule must have program approval. Connect with your appropriate program upper-level advisor to complete an updated/approved Academic Study Plan before submitting an experience. Upper-level advisors are listed on the students MyPath.
Once your experience is fully approved, please make sure you are registered for the appropriate concurrent classes as listed in your approved Academic Study Plan. Students will submit a NEW experience before each co-op rotation to update facility, contact, and other information. All rotations must be with the same employer.
Questions or Concerns?
Ethan Tanis
Co-op Coordinator, Padnos College of Engineering
616-331-6021
Register for Required Co-op Course and Review Academic and Professional Components
Registration should take place as soon as possible after the Co-op Experience is fully approved in Handshake. Out-of-sequence co-op enrollment (winter co-op start) will require a Banner override, which will be approved after the updated academic study plan is approved. A maximum of four EGR or CIS credits of concurrent course enrollment is permitted during the evening hours (4:00 pm or later). NOTE: the engineering-prefixed general education courses, EGR 302, 306, and 406, do not apply to this policy. Concurrent course enrollment during the Banner outlined co-op course hours (8:00 am -3:50 pm) will require a registration form with the time conflict section completed and approved (Diane LaFreniere, Sebastian Chair).
Determine the need for an Alternative Work Agreement and report any extenuating circumstances
Students are expected to be present for all workdays for the duration of the academic semester. The dates for the work schedule coincide with the first and last date of classes, as outlined on the GVSU academic calendar.
An extenuating agreement must be submitted for a student or employer-initiated request for alternative work hours that significantly deviate from the academic semester start/end date and (or) course hours posted on Banner (8:00 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.). Generally, this applies to schedules that have inconsistent daily hours or for requested absences that extends beyond 1-2 days (for medical or personal leaves of absence, etc.). A 1-2 day excused or employer-approved absence does not require university reporting. An email with a Qualtrics survey link will be received after the semester start date to request consideration/approval for an extenuating agreement. Extenuating agreement survey submissions are due by the second Friday of the work semester.
In the case of an unforeseen extenuating circumstance that extends beyond 1-2 days (medical leave of absence, extended jury duty, etc.), the student should contact Allyson Albrecht, Administrative Assistant, to receive the extenuating circumstance survey and follow through with the employer to ensure receipt/completion f the extenuating agreement employer confirmation survey.
If an academic time conflict is the reason for the extenuating agreement request and alternative work schedule, the following approval protocol applies:
1. Academic Advisor (updated and approved academic plan to ensure that the requested enrollment cannot be completed outside the co-op work hours/semester)
2. Sebastian Chair/Co-op Administrator (review/approval of an extenuating agreement employer confirmation survey)
Note: Academic time conflicts are rarely approved by the Academic Advisor and Sebastian Chair. Further note, time conflicts and other extenuating circumstances will not be approved in cases where the goal is to shorten the time to graduation for an academic misstep, dual major enrollment, declared minor, or general education enrollment. Students and employers will be notified if the extenuating agreement is not program-approved.
If the Academic Advisor and Program Chair indicate that an academic time conflict can be approved, the following action items apply:
- Complete a registration form with the time conflict section filled out. NOTE: the registration form with the time conflict section completed must be submitted and approved after the extenuating agreement student survey and employer confirmation survey have been received.
- Work with the Sebastian Chair/Co-op Administrator to receive the necessary signatures (faculty member of the conflicting course and PCE dean) and route the time conflict forward for processing within the Registrar’s Office.
- Once enrollment is confirmed, ensure that all payment arrangements are completed to avoid being dropped from the course due to non-payment.
EGR WORK AND STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCES
For information related to work and study abroad experiences offered at GVSU:
Any student who is interested in a work and study abroad experience should plan early and contact the PCE Co-op Coordinator: [email protected].