Co-op Employer FAQs

No. The services of our department are free. The only cost you will occur is, of course, the salary you decide to pay the student.

Salaries are market-driven and vary by discipline, academic level, industry, etc. Centennial publishes an up-to-date salary survey to show what students are being paid, which may help you make this decision.

Yes. Because co-op students are usually temporary employees on your payroll, they become part of your complement for WSIB purposes.

Yes. If you have a constraint on headcount or the hiring of new or temporary employees, we will be happy to contract a student's services to you. In this case, the student becomes an employee of the College and we invoice you monthly for their services (plus a small administrative fee).

Students must work a minimum of 420 hours over any four-month work term.

Yes. Co-op students are available year-round (winter, summer and fall) for four-month assignments. We can often accommodate longer-term needs as well.

Talk to your Centennial Co-op Administrator. We will be happy to review your needs and discuss the wide variety of student skills and program knowledge available to you.

Yes. If you have ongoing co-op needs and a student performs well, we encourage you to invite them back for subsequent work terms.

Absolutely. The co-op work term receives a grade based in part on your evaluation of the student's performance. All grades contribute to the student's Grade Point Average or GPA.

A position should only be offered to a student when you expect full-time work to be available for the entire work term. You should provide appropriate training and support for the student as a typical new employee. The student should be paid at an appropriate wage rate. You will provide the student with productive work assignments generally related to his/her major. You will be asked to complete a brief, formal evaluation of the student's performance at the end of the work term.

Yes. We will request to meet briefly on-site with the student and their supervisor at your convenience at least once during the work term.

Yes. We will be happy to arrange interviews for you either at your location or at our co-op office at the Progress Campus or Morningside Campus.