Co-op Education

Experience Matters

The world is constantly changing and you need to be ready for what’s around the corner. Apply your skills, passion and education to a real-world setting through co-op. Leave a lasting impact while creating connections that lead to rewarding results.

You’ll graduate with a competitive edge and practical work experience on your resumé and be on your way to achieving success in whatever you choose to do next.

Why Co-op?

• Integrate your academic studies with practical, real-world experience.
• An opportunity to gain marketable skills.
• Consistently high employment rate.
• Explore your interests and clarify career goals.
• Grow your professional network.
• Personal assistance with your employment search.
• Earn money to help cover your expenses.

How Co-op Works

• Students admitted to co-op alternate academic and co-op work terms, typically working two, three or four co-op work terms depending on your program.
• The co-op office assists with your application document, job search and interview preparation.
• Learn about business conduct and meeting employer expectations as you prepare for the work term through the Fundamentals of Co-operative Education course.
• Apply to co-op job postings and attend interviews to secure your co-op employment.
• Earn a salary while working full time for 12 to 16 weeks per co-op work term.
• Reflect on your learning through performance evaluations and work term reports.

Competitive Admission

Enrolment in most co-op programs is limited and there is a competitive admission process. Students in the following programs apply to co-op after first year*. Admission to co-op is based on grades, work experience, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and an interview with the Co-op Office.

• Business Administration (BBA)
• Economics
• Business Technology Management
• User Experience Design
  • *Students in UXD apply at the end of second year
• Eligible honours programs in the Faculty of Arts
• Eligible honours programs in the Faculty of Science

Direct and Automatic Enrolment Co-op Programs

Co-op is optional for students in the following programs who can choose to enrol at the end of first year and receive an offer of automatic entry into co-op.

• Business and Computer Science (Laurier) double degree
• Business and Financial Mathematics and Analytics (Laurier) double degree

Mandatory Co-op

Students in the following programs must participate in co-op as part of their degree requirements.

• Business and Mathematics (Laurier/University of Waterloo) double degree
• Business and Computer Science (Laurier/University of Waterloo) double degree

Average Weekly Salary

Note: Varies based on program, industry and location.

• Arts Co-op: $721-$739
• Business and Economics Co-op: $869–$1021
• Computer Science and Data Science Co-op programs: $875-$1018
• Science Co-op: $721-$739
• UX Co-op: $863-$969

Sample Co-op Jobs

• Business Development Representative
• Corporate Communications Intern
• Constituency Assistant
• Data Analyst
• Digital and Social Media Intern
• eCommerce Assistant Product Manager
• Environmental Services Coordinator
• Fieldwork Technician
• Financial Analyst
• Full Stack Developer
• Geographic Information Systems Intern
• Global Investment Banking Analyst
• Human Resources Coordinator
• Internal Auditor
• Junior Policy Analyst
• Laboratory Research Assistant
• Marketing and Communications Intern
• Private Equity Analyst
• Product Design Intern
• Quality Engineering Intern
• Recreation and Leisure Support Worker
• Renewable Energy Analyst
• Research and Policy Intern
• Risk Analysis Intern
• Sales Analyst
• Staff Accountant
• Software Developer
• Supply Chain Analyst
• Technical Systems Analyst
• Underwriting Analyst
• User Research Intern

Where Are Our Co-op Students Working?

Accounting and Consulting

• Baker Tilley
• BDO Canada 
• Boston Consulting Group 
• Change Connect 
• Deloitte  
• EY Canada 
• Grant Thornton 
• KPMG Canada 
• Kroll Canada 
• PwC Canada 
• RLB 
• Segal GCSE 
• Starlight Capital/Investments 
• Walsh & Company

Consumer Packaged Goods

• Clorox Company of Canada
• George Weston Ltd.
• Henkel Canada Corporation
• Keurig Dr. Pepper (Canada)
• Kruger
• Lactalis Canada
• Loblaw Companies Limited
• Maple Leaf
• Mars Canada
• McCain Foods Limited
• McCormick
• PepsiCo Foods Canada
• Proctor & Gamble Inc.
• Revlon Canada
• Saputo
• SC Johnson Canada
• Smucker Foods of Canada Corp.
• TTI Canada Inc.

Financial Services

• Atlas Partners
• American Express (Amex Bank of Canada)
• BMO Financial Group
• Brookfield Asset Management
• CIBC
• Dawson Partners
• Fidelity Investments Canada
• Foremost Financial Corporation
• Framework Venture Partners
• Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan
• OMERS
• Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan
• Origin Merchant Partners
• RBC Financial
• Scotiabank
• TD Bank Group
• Waratah Advisors

Health Care and Social Services

• BGC Dovercourt Club
• Extendicare
• Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
• Parkwood Seniors Community/Fairview Seniors Community
• Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN)

Government

• Canada Revenue Agency
• Canadian Security Intelligence Service
• City of Kitchener
• City of Guelph
• Federal Economic Development Agency
• Health Canada
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions
• Ontario Digital Service 
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Public Safety Canada
• Service Canada
• Statistics Canada
• The Regional Municipality of York

Insurance and Actuary

• AIG Canada
• Aon Canada
• Canada Life
• Chubb Insurance Company of Canada
• Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc.
• Equitable Life of Canada
• Definity Insurance (formerly Economical)
• Gore Mutual
• Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
• Manulife Financial
• Munich Reinsurance Company of Canada
• Sun Life Financial
• The Co-operators
• Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company
• Zurich Canada

Manufacturing and Automotive

• Ford Motor Company
• Hyundai Auto Canada
• Linamar
• Magna International
• Martinrea International
• Nissan Canada
• Pioneering Technology
• Yamaha Motor Canada

Telecommunications and Technology 

• BlackBerry
• Blue Link Associates Limited
• CGI
• Ceridian
• Constellation Group
• Creospark Consulting Services
• HP Inc.
• HubHead
• IBM Canada
• Jonas Software
• Magnet Forensics
• Rogers Communications Inc.
• Samsung Electronics Canada
• ThinkData Works
• Trader Corporation