The Cooperative Education placement is academically assessed  and its successful completion is a requirement for graduation. The employer plays an important role in the evaluation process. We expect that employers provide students with an opportunity to develop their skills while doing work of real value for the organisation.

In preparing for co-op, students are asked to consider a number of skills areas from which they are asked to select specific skills they wish to develop during their placement. They will be asked to evaluate the extent of their skills development throughout the placement, and this will form part of their Co-op Report. 

Employers will be asked to evaluate their performance in the following areas:

  • Ability to Learn
  • Reading/Writing/Communication Skills
  • Listening and Oral Communication Skills
  • Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
  • Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills
  • Organisational Effectiveness Skills
  • Basic Work Habits
  • Cultural Adaptation
    • (Global placements only)
  • Professional Skills
Chemistry Workshop

Guidance and Support for Students

This may be many students first experience of the working world, and may need guidance on adjusting to this change. Employers should ensure that students are fully briefed on what is expected of them in the workplace, and of the organisation's policies and regulations as they apply to them. 

Co-op students will need supervision during the placement, especially in the early stages. It is important for employers who need a student to be a self-starter and to work fairly independently from day one to make this clear when recruiting. Throughout the placement, it is useful if the student has someone to whom they can turn for advice and support, either a mentor, supervisor, or line manager. 

I’ve been delighted to work with the University of Limerick as part of the Limerick City and County Council Co-op Programme over the last couple of years. The Department of Marketing and Communications is a fast-paced and complex workplace, where team members often have to multi-task, meet tight deadlines and adapt quickly to changing circumstances. The calibre of co-op students, we have received to date, have proven themselves to be more than capable of rising to the challenges of this particular environment. I have found our UL students to be creative, collaborative and hard-working.

 

Aoife O'Shaughnessy

Become a co-op partner

Become a co-op partner