Business is booming for the University of British Columbia’s co-operative
education programs and it’s not just science students that are in
demand.
There will be 23 English students starting co-op work terms this
year, bringing the total number of UBC students in co-op programs
to more than 1,100 — triple the 1992/93 total.
“Employers are keen to work with English co-op students because
of their excellent research and writing skills,” says Julie Walchli,
English Dept. co-op education co-ordinator. “The program gives employers
a cost-effective way to staff peak periods or special projects.”
The pilot project is the first step in a plan to make co-op programs
available to all Arts students.
English co-op students will be writing and editing newsletters
and reports, doing public relations work and designing web pages.
Employers as diverse as BC Hydro, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs,
the Japanese Canadian National Museum and Archives, Self-Counsel
Press and IBM Pacific Development Centre have posted jobs with the
English co-op program office.
UBC’s co-op program partners employers recruited from B.C. and
abroad with students competing for monitored, paid positions that
allow them to apply their academic learning in a work environment.
“Students come back from the work experience with a greater appreciation
for their academic studies,” says Barry McBride, vice-president,
Academic. “They also get a clearer understanding of the careers
they will pursue and greater confidence in their ability to function
effectively in the workplace.”
This year, the Faculty of Science’s co-op program will see almost
300 students working on projects including medical physics and designing
sophisticated hardware and software. In the Faculty of Applied Science,
685 engineering co-op students will be working at locations ranging
from Resolute Bay in the Northwest Territories to Punta Arenas in
Chile.
Other UBC faculties have established or are in the process of establishing
work experience programs.
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