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Cooperative Education Programme at the KBS
Cooperative Education at UL is a compulsory six to eight month work placement for undergraduate students. For the last 50 years, it has exposed students to the world of work, with its differing environments, demands and expectations. Co-op is a core element of the University of Limerick and Kemmy Business School student experience and the longest established and largest centrally managed student placement programme in Ireland, to-date,
With over 2,600 placements secured annually, Cooperative Education at UL is one of the largest placement programmes in Europe. The reach of the programme is significant, involving a network of 4,000 employers, both national and international. The compulsory and inclusive nature of the Cooperative Education Programme makes it unique in the Irish and European contexts, with students eligible for placement, regardless of discipline and vocational orientation, academic standing and skills profile.
Find out all you need to know about cooperative education programme here, such as; interview and selection process, preparing for co-op, read the placement calendar of the programme of study and learn the benefits of co-op.
The Kemmy Business School at UL has a strong employability focus and is committed to equipping students and graduates with skills and competencies they will need to build successful careers.
- 97% of 2023 Business graduates are in employment (IE: 78%; Overseas: 10%) or in further study (9%).
- Sectors of employment: 32% (Financial, ins, real estate), 15% (industry), 12% (professional, scientific and technical). Yr-yr increases in construction, wholesale and retail, ICT sectors.
- Rise in graduates seeking employment in the Midwest – from 33% to 42%. The Western Corridor (West, Mid-West and South-West) continues to be the preferred initial destination for UL graduates.
Whether in Ireland or abroad, embrace the challenge co-op
brings and try and get outside of your comfort zone.
Try and get a sense of other areas in your organisation and
consider what interests you and how that might guide your
studies and future career direction.
My co-op placement helped me in a lot of different ways in
my career. By graduation, I already had eight months of
practical experience in the marketing industry which enhanced
my CV when looking for a job.Overall, my co-op placement was a transformative journey
and the skills I developed during my time there have no
doubt contributed to my success since.
The experience I had on my co-op was the primary reason
I was hired by DM Financial. The knowledge I gained in
relation to accounting, financial statements and the
investment fund industry was perfectly suited to the
role I took on.The skills I acquired in interviewing gave me the best chance
of being hired. Invesco also gave me a very strong reference
which was cited to me upon being hired as the reason I was
accepted over other candidates.
Learn more about Cooperative Education at UL
Cooperative Education: +353-61-202044 | coop.info@ul.ie
Careers Services: +353-61-202451 | careers@ul.ie
School Placement: +353-61-202478 | schoolplacement@ul.ie
Email: business@ul.ie
Postal Address: Faculty Office, Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
