Benefits

Benefits

BENEFITS of COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

Students | Employers | Colleges | High School Counselors | Society

Student Benefits

	Enhances classroom learning by integrating academic curriculum and real-world work experience.
	Confirms or redirects career decision-making through on-the-job experience in a chosen field.
	Enhances affordability of college through employer-paid wages. This is a means of financial assistance that is available to all students, regardless of family income levels or other financial aid arrangements.
	Improves job opportunities after graduation by giving students valuable work experience and contact with potential future employers.
	Teaches valuable job-search skills such as career assessment, resume writing and interviewing techniques.
	Encourages completion of college for all students -- from top performers to traditionally non-college bound students by linking school to work and by providing access to co-op earnings.

Employer Benefits

	Provides an excellent pool of well-prepared and motivated employees.
	Improves personnel selection process by using actual on-the-job performance as a basis for permanent hiring decisions.
	Increases cost-effectiveness of recruitment and training. Studies show employers save money by using co-op to identify and train personnel.
	Improves workforce diversity through access to minority students for permanent employment.
	Increases retention rates among permanent employees recruited and hired through a co-op program. Both students and employers have the time to try out the position and ensure that the fit is the most productive and effective for both.
	Enhances human resource flexibility with effective short-term employees.
	Strengthens company relations with colleges and students. Through evaluations, advisory boards and other means, employers can work with colleges to ensure an effective curriculum.

College Benefits

	Expands the range of educational opportunities for students by integrating learning at the workplace into the academic program.
	Assists in the recruitment and retention of students. Co-op earnings and enhanced prospects for professional employment increase student and parent interest.
	Improves student and faculty access to state-of-the-art equipment and technology by using the workplace as a laboratory extension of the classroom.
	Keeps college curricula up-to-date with changes in industry through constant input from the employment sector.
	Builds a positive relationship between the institution and the local business community.
	Enhances public support for higher education by improving the post-graduation career opportunities for students. Policymakers increasingly request demonstrated outcomes for students, and co-op can enhance the quality and level of employment results for graduates.

High School Counselor Benefits

	Assists students in affording college.
	Increases student interest in education by linking classroom studies to real-world work experiences.
	Links students to high performance education and work experiences. Co-op has consistently attracted top performers among students and employers.
	Attracts and retains students who might not complete college by providing financial help and by building interest in professional careers which require a college degree.
	Provides the relevant work experiences employers increasingly require of the graduates they will hire.
	Builds a high-academic link to education reform and applied learning in secondary schools. Students and parents can see an example of a well-established, successful model at the college level.

Society Benefits

	Provides financial resources for college to students from all income levels. This is particularly important for low- and middle-income families.
	Increases the effectiveness and relevance of education by relating classroom study to the world of work
	Fosters respect for work and increases personal responsibility.
	Builds a globally competitive workforce.
	Saves federal dollars by providing employer-paid wages to help with college expenses.

Copyright � 1999 Gulf Coast Community College. All rights reserved.
Last modified: Thursday February 10, 2005.