Why Co-op?
We see you as our partners in enhancing our students' educational experience. Our program is flexible, with students available for short (4 months) or longer-term work placements (8, 12 or 16 months).
Some of the benefits of having a co-op student include:
A fresh, new perspective in your workplace
Create a talent pipeline with a trial period that could lead to future employment and allow students to return for multiple work placements
Provide assistance with specific projects
May assist in branding your organization on campus when they return to their studies
Our Students
Committed: Students commit to completing their work placement in its entirety. Our students are eager to apply their knowledge in a professional environment.
Educated: Students have met specific criteria for admission into our program and many have excelled academically.
Prepared: To ensure their success, students complete a co-operative education and internship preparation course and must attend a mandatory pre-departure session prior to leaving on their work placement.
Diverse: Students come from all 8 of our undergraduate programs including Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Geological, Engineering Physics and Mechanical.
Work Placement Requirements
Co-op Student Skill Development
- Work placements must be focused on the development and application of engineering skills; labour and administrative positions do not qualify
- Work placements must be full-time hours and paid; part-time positions do not qualify
Supervision
- We recommend that co-op students be supervised by or receive in-depth mentorship from a licensed Professional Engineer when possible
- Co-op staff will conduct a site visit with the co-op student and their supervisor once during the work term placement
- Supervisors will be required to complete evaluations of the co-op student's performance
Start Dates
- Work placements begin in January, May or September
Term Length
- Work placements may be 4, 8, 12 or 16 months in duration
- Please note that students who have just finished their second year of study can only do a 4-month placement from May to August. They must return to their third year of study before going out again on a longer term placement.
Recruit Through Our Program
If you have not previously posted or hired through our USask CareerLink system, then you will need to register an employer profile.
Post your co-op job on our Engineering Co-op Internship Program job board in CareerLink. Only students who have been admitted to our program have access to this exclusive job board.
Choose and interview your candidates. You are welcome to contact students directly to schedule interviews or our program staff can provide assistance with the scheduling process.
Hire a USask engineering student! Please extend the offer directly to students and cc' engineering.coop@usask.ca.
Please ensure that our co-op office has been made aware of your co-op student hire. Our Engineering Co-op Internship Program is a comprehensive, academic work-integrated learning program in which students maintain full-time student status and receive credit.
Recommended Recruitment Timelines
Our program uses open recruitment for hiring students. We recommend the following recruitment timelines, however, program staff can work with you to set up timelines that suit your hiring needs.
- Post approximately 4-months prior to the work term beginning
- Post for two weeks
- Screen candidates for one week
- Interview for one week
- Select candidates and make an offer directly to the student (cc' engineering.coop@usask.ca). We encourage you to contact our co-op office to confirm student availability/eligibility before extending an offer.
Students can be hired at any time throughout the year, however we suggest following our recommended recruitment timelines as this is when our students are more actively searching, applying and accepting co-op positions based on the anticipated start date of the work term.
Employer/Recruiter Opportunities: Sponsorship & Engagement
Are you seeking to establish and strengthen your company's brand presence among our talented engineering students? Check out ideas for sponsorship, engagment and/or recruiting with us!
| Co-op Student of the Year Award |
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Sponsorship of our "Co-op Student of the Year Award" provides your company with the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional contributions made by our co-op students. This sponsorship not only showcases your company's dedication to fostering the development of young professionals but also enhances your brand reputation as a company that values and invests in the growth of professional engineers. Every year, a Co-op student is recognized as the Co-op Student of the Year. The recipient is also nominated for the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) Student Award. Sponsorship includes:
Award Presentation Opportunity: A representative from your company will be invited to present the award to the student winner in January. |
| Co-op Student Bursary |
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A “Co-op Bursary” goes a long way to support our co-op students who have participated in a co-op work term. By offering financial support through a bursary, you can help alleviate the financial burden that co-op students face, allowing them to focus on their studies and excel in their academic pursuits. Sponsorship includes:
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| Co-op Coffee Corner |
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The “Co-op Coffee Corner” allows the Co-op Office to showcase your company during our busy mornings, ensuring maximum exposure to our talented engineering students. Our dedicated co-op staff will expertly organize these gatherings, effectively promoting your brand and creating awareness among the student community. Sponsorship includes:
FAQ’s:
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| "Zero Hunger" for Students |
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By supporting “Zero Hunger” you are providing essential nourishment to students in need. Hunger should never be a barrier to learning, and your sponsorship can ensure that our engineering students have access to nutritious snacks located in the Engineering Co-op & Career Centre throughout the year. Sponsorship includes:
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| Engineering Co-op & Career Centre Open House |
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During the fall and winter terms, the Engineering Co-op & Career Centre hosts an Open House for all engineering students. Our Open House events occur the day before the Fall Careers Fair and the Winter Employer Ups. We welcome our students and help them prepare for these career fair events. And who doesn’t love the smell of popcorn? Your gift would sponsor the rental of a popcorn machine and kernels for one of these days. Sponsorship includes:
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2024-2025 USASK Engineering Sponsorship Opportunities
| Hard Hat Ceromony |
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Second-year and graduate studies (MSc, MEng & PhD) USask Engineering students will be welcomed into their disciplines by alumni, department heads, faculty members, senior students, and industry leaders. The Hard Hat Ceremony features a colorful display of hard hats representing the engineering disciplines. Reception to follow for students to celebrate their newly chosen discipline. When: September 26, 2024 Interested in sponsoring? Contact Ashley Drozda at ashley.drozda@usask.ca |
| C.J. Mackenzie Gala |
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Join the College of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, in partnership with the Ron & Jane Graham School of Professional Development (SoPD), as we celebrate the remarkable achievements of an esteemed engineering alumnus at the 48th C.J. Mackenzie Gala. Each year, this prestigious gala honours an alumnus who has attained a position of eminence in their profession and acknowledges their outstanding contributions to engineering. The C.J. Mackenzie Gala has become the premier event within the engineering community, offering a unique opportunity for engineers to gather, connect with students, researchers and faculty, network, and celebrate a distinguished engineering alum. The evening culminates with a keynote address by our soon-to-be-announced Distinguished Lecturer. When: Time: 06:30 PM - 10:00 PM CST Event Questions? Contact Carlene Deutscher at carlene.deutscher@usask.ca Corporate Table(s)s are available online now: https://cjm2025.eventbrite.ca |
| Capstone Design Showcase |
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The evening brings together students, industry members, family and friends, faculty and high school students who attend to see the innovative design work of our senior USask Engineering undergraduate students. The event showcases the academic talents of our future engineers, the top capstone groups from each department compete for bragging rights and cash prizes in a variety of categories. When: April 2, 2025 Corporate Table(s) are available online now: https://usask-capstone.eventbrite.ca |
| Fall Careers Day | ||||||||||||||||||
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Date: September 24, 2024 Our Fall Careers Day is open to students from all campus colleges and programs, as well as employers from all industries. This includes, but is not limited to, Agriculture & Bioresources, Kinesiology, Edwards School of Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Arts & Science, and Education. All booth and sponsorship packages include:
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| Winter (Engineering) Employer Pop-ups | ||||||||||||||||||
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Dates: January 20-24, 2025 Employer Pop-ups provide a more intimate setting to connect with our students in a smaller venue. They are open to students from all campus colleges and programs, as well as employers from all industries. (NOTE: Engineering Employer Pop-ups are held in the heart of the Engineering Building where employers can meet and engage with all of our engineering students.) |
Employer Funding Resources
Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
As part of the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), a variety of funding opportunities are available for employers to hire students for the purposes of experiential learning. This funding is being administered by Employment and Social Development Canada.