What is Cooperative Education?
The cooperative education program provides an opportunity for the student to participate in a paid work experience or a paid or unpaid internship experience in a field related to his/her career goals.
Co-op is available to senior students who have met specific school requirements. The student is released from school to continue his/her learning at a cooperating training station. Paid students must work a minimum of 15 hours per week (Monday-Friday). A non-paid intern’s schedule is dependent upon school credits.
A certified Cooperative Education Coordinator, who insures that the student and the employer are following the guidelines of the program, monitors the co-op program. The coordinator visits the place of employment to observe the student’s abilities on-the-job.
The co-op program helps form partnerships with employers, educators, community leaders, students, and parents. It helps “bridge the gap” between school and work.
Employer Responsibilities
-provide learning opportunities in as many areas of the industry as possible
-consent to a training agreement (contract)
-develop a training plan detailing the learning activities the student will perform
-train the student with transferable employability skills
-agree to a work schedule for paid students, which provides at least 15 hours of work during the school week (Monday-Friday)
-abide by Federal and State Child Labor Laws
-insist on good safety habits
-sign a weekly time card verifying hours worked during the previous week
-complete a quarterly evaluation of the student’s progress
-communicate problems to the co-op coordinator immediately
Student Responsibilities
-follow all rules of the school and the training station
-arrange his/her own transportation
-consent to a training agreement
-adhere to a training plan developed by the worksite supervisor
-practice positive work habits and attitudes
-consider on-the-job success as important as in-school success
-maintain an open, cooperative attitude
-be prompt and maintain regular attendance on-the-job and in school
-maintain satisfactory academic standards
-complete related projects as assigned by the co-op coordinator
-communicate job related concerns to
-the co-op coordinator
-represent CentralDauphinSchool District in a positive manner
School Responsibilities
-assign a certified Cooperative Education Coordinator to manage the program
-assist student with obtaininga work siteplacement related to his/her long term goals
-support on-the-job training
-communicate with the employer and the student regarding employment issues
-visit and observe the student at the training station
-award a quarterly grade to the student
Benefits to the Employer
-reduces training/recruiting costs
-helps create a pool of skilled and motivated potential employees
-improves employee retention
-receives employee support from the school
-forms a relationship with the school
Benefits to the Student
-expands career awareness
-develops employability skills
-discovers job market opportunities
-applies academic concepts to the “real world”
Benefits to the School
-extends the classroom into the community
-becomes more responsible to employment needs of the community
-builds a partnership with employers, students, parents, and school
Central Dauphin East
High School
626 Rutherford Road
Harrisburg, PA 17109
Phone: (717) 541-1662 ext. 381
Fax: (717) 545-7139
E-mail:
Martin Hasenfuss, Co-op Coordinator
Central Dauphin
High School
437 Piketown Road
Harrisburg, PA 17112
Phone: (717) 703-5360 ext. 322
Fax: (717) 703-5731
E-mail:
Elizabeth Potter, Co-op Coordinator
Employers/Training Sites of cooperative education students shall not discriminate in educational programs, activities, or employment practices, based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, ancestry, union membership or any other legally protected classification. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with state and federal laws including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
CENTRAL DAUPHIN
SCHOOL DISTRICT
COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
PROGRAM
EMPLOYER BROCHURE