Cooperative Education/Capstone Experience
What is Co-op? Cooperative education is a special program for seniors enrolled in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) class. Co-op is designed to be a capstone experience, allowing the student to gain real world-of-work experiences while applying the skills learned from their CTE coursework. Students are paid (often above the average starting wage) while they work and reap the benefits of earning while learning! They also receive school credit that applies towards their graduation requirements. It is the goal of the South & West Washtenaw Consortium to send highly qualified, dependable students into our local work force to gain real world experiences and to augment their CTE and high school education with a positive and rewarding experience. It is designed to be a Win-Win experience for both the student and the employer. However, many students and parents fail to plan at early stages (9th grade/10th grade) for participation in the Capstone Experience and do not meet the minimum requirements set forth by state and local school districts. Students must be in compliance with all requirements to enter the Cooperative Education Program operated by the South & West Washtenaw Consortium.
How do you apply for a Co-op/Capstone Experience?
Thats easy! See your counselor first for initial approval. The area you intend to Co-op in must be related to your CTE class and align with your career pathway outlined in your I.E.P. (Individual Education Plan) Co-op applications are availible through your counselor or through the Consortium office.
Applications are Due by May 1 in the spring and December 15 for the second semester.
Click on the following Link to Download a Co-op application:
What are the requirements I must fulfill to be considered for a Capstone Experience?
Requirements include:
1.) Must be a senior and have documented proof of 50% completion of related CTE class including core curriculum and safety. You must also have an excellent attendance record and an excellent written recommendation from your CTE teacher.
2.) Must be concurrently enrolled in a related CTE class.
3.) Must have basic graduation requirements fulfilled and adequate time in your school schedule.
4.) Student must have own reliable transportation.
5.)The ability to work a minimum of 15 - 17.5 hrs** per week.
6.) Have excellent attendance record and teacher references from non CTE teachers.
7.) Workplace must adhere to both state and federal child labor laws and provide proof of supplying Workman's Compensation Insurance to the student learner. NO Exceptions!
8.) Workplace must be a licensed entity or business. Working for parents, relatives, or neighbors under a private agreement will not be supported.
**Depends on home school schedule, i.e. Block, 6 hr/7hr etc.
The Co-op Process.
During your junior year, while scheduling for your fall senior classes, you first submit an application. Remember, do this before May 1st, your junior year. Co-op placements are made in late August, before school starts. Late applications will only be reviewed under special circumstances.
When your application is accepted, you will be required to have a minimum of two teachers, a CTE instructor in the area you wish to Co-op in and a regular classroom teacher, fill out a recommendation/evaluation sheet. Your attendance record will also be checked. Poor attendance may make you ineligible. A screening committe will evaluate all potential canadates before a co-op placement is made. Prior/current employment with an employer may not guarantee acceptance into the co-op program. All co-op employers must adhere to Federal, State and local school district guidelines and policies and will be considered if compliance can be sustained through the school year.
Once approved, a job site in the area of training related to your CTE class will be explored and selected. It is beneficial for the student to be involved in the process of finding a qualified job site. The co-op coordinator can recommend possible places of employment, but is not responsible for finding co-op applicants a job position. All potential job sites must be visited and inspected by the co-op coordinator prior to becoming an official Co-op work site. A meeting between the coordinator and the supervising employer will be conducted to assure areas of safety, curriculum, state, federal and school requirements are met.
Once a training site is approved by the coordinator, a Training Agreement will be developed, including information on job duties, work times, schedules, minimum/maximum work hours and any possible restrictions. Signatures from the student, parent, co-op coordinator and employer need to be collected on several forms. Once the necessary forms are filled and signed, your Co-op Coordinator will vist your job site and conduct a Work Site Review looking at your work station and meeting with your employe, explaining the details and expectations of the co-op employer.
The Training Agreement is a very special document. Think of it as a specialized work permit. Without it, you cannot legally perform certain tasks and duties in a real world working environment, unless you are 18. Even if you are 18, the Training Agreement is a requirement to gain access to the co-op experience. You will also have a Training Plan.
The Training Plan is a document that lists the goals and tasks that you will be working on while on your co-op work placement. Your work place supervisor will use the Training Plan to monitor your progress and chart this progress through evaluations filled out every 4 weeks. Every other evaluation (for a total of 4 times a year) is a report card grade that apperas on your school transcript.
Weekly time sheets are collected by your co-op coordinator, usually during the required weekly meeting. You are required to meet with your coordinator once a week to discuss your progress at your co-op placement.
A folder containing all this information is monitored by both the student and the coordinator and must be in order in the event an audit is conducted on a student.
All co-op employers are required to prove they carry Workmans Compensation Insurance for the co-op student trainee. Employers must also be aware of and adhere to both state and federal guidelines setforth in the Fair Labor Standards Act 1938 (Federal) and the Michigan Youth Employment Standards Act of 1978 (State).
For a complete description of all matters related to the S.W.W.C. Cooperative Education/Capstone Experience program, the Co-op handbook can be viewed by clicking on the following link. (Can be viewed as a PDF document.)
The key to making Cooperative Education part
of your Career and Technical Education experience is to plan early!