Information for employers

Co-operative education, or co-op, is an integrated approach to higher education that enables students to alternate academic terms with paid, relevant work experience in their chosen field.

Students receive valuable experience with real-life employers, while employers benefit from students' enthusiasm, skill and energy.

Co-op students can take on short-term tasks, contribute to ongoing projects or lend relief to your regular staff during peak periods. In the long term, co-op can provide you with a cost-effective way to evaluate potential future employees, without making a long-term hiring commitment.

Sociology students come with a comprehensive "tool kit" of skills. At the undergraduate level, students are fluent with standard office software programs, have good research skills, write and speak well, and are organized and critical thinkers.

At the graduate level students have refined research and analysis skills, can develop surveys and conduct interviews, and have solid quantitative and statistical analysis. skills Some graduate students also teach in the department enabling them to further develop their communication and organizational skills. Sociology students have completed successful Co-op terms with a wide range of public and private sector organizations in Victoria, and across Canada.

Students may undertake four or eight- month work terms commencing in September, January or May.

Hiring and working with a co-op student is easy and we provide support along the way.

1. Develop a job description and send it to us at sscoop@uvic.ca 
2. Shortlist and interview your top candidates (we can coordinate all the logistics)
3. Let us know who you would like to hire
4. Meet your new employee and discuss your work expectations and their learning objectives
5. Support their learning and work performance
6. Discuss the student's progress with a co-op coordinator during a midterm meeting
7. Evaluate the student's performance and learning at the end of the co-op term

If you would like to find a student volunteer, hire a graduate, or hire for a casual position, please contact Career Services at careers@uvic.ca.

If you would like to participate in an on-campus recruitment initiative (career fair, information session), contact Amy Van Zant, Marketing and Events Coordinator at avanzant@uvic.ca or 250-721-8840.