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 enrolment process and obtain approval to accept a co-op

Step 2:  Secure a Co-op Position

Step 3:  Submit an Experience in Handshake & register for the appropriate concurrent courses

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

[email protected]

616-331-6021


Register for Required Co-op Course and Review Academic and Professional Components

Registration should take place as soon as possible after Experiences are fully approved in Handshake to ensure section/course availability.  During a co-op work semester, students are only able to register for a maximum of four EGR or CIS credits 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.

Determine the need for an Alternative Work Agreement and report any extenuating circumstances

All students are expected to complete 500 hours of work during the academic semester and should expect to begin/end the work assignment in alignment with the GVSU academic calendar for the designated work semester. Note, work that does not coincide with the timeline for the academic semester may not be applied toward the 500-hour requirement unless approved. Course time conflicts or other extenuating circumstances (i.e. medical leave of absence) that interfere with the Banner course hours (8:00 to 3:50 p.m.) or the approved plan of study will not be approved, unless an extenuating circumstance warrants such enrollment.  In such cases, the following protocol (order for approval) applies for obtaining the signatures necessary for consideration for an academic time conflict:

  1. Academic Advisor
  2. Sebastian Chair/Co-op Administrator
  3. Faculty Member of Conflicting Course
  4. Employer (*)

(*) 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 (i.e. enroll in dual major, minor or repeat courses) or when the employer is contacted regarding the conflict, before receiving the necessary academic signatures.
 
Before signing a time conflict form, the academic advisor will confirm that there are no available alternatives that will eliminate interference with the scheduled co-op work hours, and the Sebastian Chair will confirm that the supervisor approves of the proposed time conflict.

Because an extenuating circumstance presents a unique situation for each student, there is no template.  Please outline a brief statement of the extenuating circumstance, as well as a detailed plan of the weekly work hours to meet the 500 hours required to earn course credit.  The following signatures must be included:  student, supervisor, Sebastian Chair, Diane LaFreniere ([email protected]). This form should be submitted along with the student and employer agreements.


EGR WORK AND STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCES

For information related to work and study abroad experiences offered at GVSU:

Study & Work Abroad Programs

Any student who is interested in a work and study abroad experience should plan early and contact the PCE Co-op Coordinator: [email protected]



Page last modified November 20, 2024