INTERNSHIPS IN CANADA
If you want to gain work experience in Canada, either to develop in your present professional field or be trained in a completely different area, the Co-Op education program is an ideal choice.
This program allows you to gain work experience alongside vocational training and will make an impressive contribution to your CV.
You can read the rest of our article to learn more about the program and the great benefits it presents through work experience. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.
WHAT IS CO-OP EDUCATION?
Cooperative education programs combine vocational training with work experience.
You can complete your Co-op education by participating in a certificate or diploma program offered by community colleges and universities in Canada.
YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN A CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA PROGRAM TO DO AN INTERNSHIP IN CANADA.
You can join these certificate or diploma programs, which provide you with the opportunity of work experience, at universities or community colleges.
However, these programs are much shorter than undergraduate education programs and the document you are awarded at the end of the program is completely different from a degree certificate.
The certificate and diploma programs offered by Co-Op education also differ from each other.
The certificate programs are shorter than the diploma programs and may offer unpaid internships.
The diploma programs are longer than the certificate programs and may offer paid internships.
Whereas a certificate program may comprise 8 weeks of training followed by a 2-week unpaid internship, a diploma program may comprise 24 weeks of training followed by a further 24-week long internship.
At the end of these programs, you will be awarded either a certificate or diploma to demonstrate that you have completed your training and internship.
(These documents are not the equivalent of a master’s degree diploma.)
THERE ARE LOTS OF ADVANTAGES TO A CO-OP EDUCATION IN CANADA.
Co-op education programs may be preferable to post-graduate education since they are a shorter duration and less expensive.
The most important aspect of co-op education is the fact that you can gain work experience.
The program is shorter in duration than a master’s, but the classes you take as part of this course can count towards your master’s degree. So, by slightly extending the period of your education, you can earn a master’s degree.
In addition to all its other advantages, you can also improve your level of general and professional English during the program.
HOW CAN YOU JOIN A CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA PROGRAM FOR A CO-OP EDUCATION IN CANADA?
You need a sufficient level of English to enroll in Co-op education programs that are offered at universities and community colleges in Canada.
You can demonstrate your level of English by taking the IELTS or TOEFL exams.
However, do not let the exams deter you. The points required to join these programs offered at universities and community colleges in Canada are considerably lower than those required for a master’s degree program.
Aside from the English requirements, you may need prior undergraduate education in the field you wish to study for some certificate and diploma programs.
This is usually the case in subjects such as medicine, architecture, and engineering.
YOU CAN RECEIVE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND WORK EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIELD OF CHOICE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A CO-OP EDUCATION PROGRAM IN CANADA.
By participating in a co-op education program in Canada, you can receive vocational training and work experience in a field that suits you and your career. There are many available fields to choose from including; computer programming, journalism, business communication, financial management, and tourism and hotel management.
After completing this training at a university or college in Canada, you can be placed in a suitable job by the career department at your school.
If you have managed to establish your own network during the program, you can also find a paid internship yourself.
However, the suitability of an internship you find yourself may still need to be approved by your school careers department. You can contact us for further information regarding how to receive a Co-op education and how it will benefit you.
Did you know that students with lesser confidence are almost 2 times more successful in securing an internship than students without coaching? (Andrews & Jones, 2024)
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COACHING