Co-op Program Research Articles

Increasing Enrollment in MacEwan University’s Co-op Program for Marketing Majors

Increasing Enrollment in MacEwan University’s Co-op Program for Marketing Majors

Forecasting Student Employment Trends in Colleges and Universities Education Using Time Series Analysis Algorithms

Student employment trends in colleges have been evolving, with a notable shift towards internships, co-op programs, and other experiential learning opportunities. Colleges are increasingly emphasizing the importance of gaining practical work experience alongside academic studies to enhance students' employability. This trend reflects the growing demand from employers for graduates who possess not only theoretical knowledge but also relevant skills and hands-on experience. This study investigates student employment trends within Colleges and Universities education through the application of time series analysis algorithms. Utilizing historical data spanning five years from 2019 to 2023, the study examines the dynamics of student employment rates and explores the effectiveness of forecasting methodologies, including ARIMA and Ranking with ARIMA (R-ARIMA). The findings reveal a consistent upward trend in student employment rates over the study period, indicating a favorable environment for student career opportunities within higher education institutions. Moreover, the accuracy of forecasting models is demonstrated through the close alignment between predicted and observed employment rates. Optimal ARIMA configurations are identified, providing insights for strategic planning and resource allocation to support student career development and success. The findings reveal a consistent upward trend in student employment rates over the study period, with the percentage of employed students increasing annually. For instance, the student employment rate rises from 65% in 2019 to 77% in 2023. This indicates a favourable environment for student career opportunities within higher education institutions. Moreover, the accuracy of forecasting models is demonstrated through the close alignment between predicted and observed employment rates. Optimal ARIMA configurations are identified, with the best-performing model achieving an AIC score of 95.3 and a BIC score of 99.8. These configurations provide insights for strategic planning and resource allocation to support student career development and success.

Evaluating the impact of precision engineering education on industry standards and practices

Precision engineering plays a critical role in various industries, including manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare. The evolution of precision engineering education is essential to meet the dynamic demands of these industries. This review outlines a comprehensive evaluation of how precision engineering education influences industry standards and practices. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with industry professionals, educators, and students. Through a structured questionnaire, data is collected on the perceived effectiveness of precision engineering education in preparing graduates for the industry. Additionally, in-depth interviews provide nuanced insights into specific skills, knowledge areas, and competencies deemed essential by practitioners. Initial findings indicate a positive correlation between precision engineering education and industry standards. Graduates equipped with a strong foundation in precision engineering principles demonstrate a higher level of proficiency in meeting industry requirements. Notably, the integration of hands-on training, simulation exercises, and real-world projects within the curriculum significantly enhances students' readiness for practical applications. Moreover, the study delves into the adaptability of precision engineering programs in addressing emerging technological trends and advancements. As industries evolve with the adoption of automation, artificial intelligence, and additive manufacturing, the curriculum's responsiveness to these changes becomes paramount. Evaluating the alignment between educational content and contemporary industry practices sheds light on areas necessitating refinement or enhancement. Furthermore, the research explores the role of industry-academic partnerships in shaping precision engineering education. Collaborative initiatives such as internships, co-op programs, and joint research projects facilitate knowledge exchange and bridge the gap between academia and industry. By fostering mutually beneficial relationships, these partnerships contribute to curriculum development that remains abreast of evolving industry needs. This study underscores the pivotal influence of precision engineering education on industry standards and practices. By continually evaluating and refining educational approaches, stakeholders can ensure that graduates possess the requisite skills and knowledge to thrive in an ever-changing industrial landscape.

Fostering Employability Skills for Engineers with Serious Games: A gamified GBL concept

The world is becoming increasingly complex, and as a result, the demand for individuals with strong employability skills is growing rapidly. It is essential for engineering education to adapt to this reality and provide opportunities for students to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership skills. By doing so, engineering graduates will be well-equipped to navigate the complex challenges of the modern world and make meaningful contributions to society. Engineering education needs to adapt to this reality by incorporating more opportunities for students to develop their employability skills. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as experience- or project-based learning, internships, co-op programs, and industry partnerships. Game-based learning offers an engaging and immersive experience that can promote the development of these skills in a fun and interactive way. Within the Game-based learning approach implemented in our lecture the students play two subsequent game modules in which they first plan and build a factory building together and then put it into operation in the second part. The players are confronted with problems and situations that can only be overcome through communication and cooperation. This paper presents the self-developed online platform that uses gamification aspects such as micro-achievements for each student to represent the progress with the learning materials as well as within the gaming parts. The platform aims to provide students with an engaging and interactive way of learning, while also assessing their performance through collected data.

Food Security Status in Relation to Co-operative Enrolment Among University of Waterloo Undergraduate Students: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Purpose: Co-operative (co-op) education facilitates development of workplace competencies but may have unintended consequences for financial stability and food security. This study examined the association between co-op program enrolment and food security status among a sample of undergraduate students. Financial insufficiency and strategies to cope with it were also characterized.Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from 167 co-op and 89 non-co-op students at the University of Waterloo from January to March 2019. Logistic regression assessed associations between co-op program enrolment and food insecurity.Results: Twenty-four percent of co-op and 39.3% of non-co-op students lived in moderately or severely food insecure households. Adjusting for confounders, the odds of living in moderately or severely food insecure households were lower among co-op students (adjusted odds ratio: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27-0.97), though no association was observed when marginal food insecurity was included within the food insecure category. One-quarter (26.3%) of co-op students and 38.2% of non-co-op students reported financial insufficiency, which they tried to cope with by asking parents or friends for assistance or initiating paid work.Conclusions: Co-op program enrolment was weakly associated with lower odds of living in moderately or severely food insecure households, and food insecurity prevalence was high overall. Efforts are needed to alleviate food insecurity among postsecondary students.

Fruit and Vegetable Shopping Behavior and Intake among Low-Income Minority Households with Elementary-Aged Children.

Low-income children and families do not meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. This study aimed to assess the association between FV shopping behavior and child FV intake through a cross-sectional study design analyzing self-reported surveys (n = 6074) from adult-child dyads of Hispanic/Latino and African American participants enrolled in the Brighter Bites co-op program. Through quantitative mixed effects linear regression models, accounting for school-level clustering and adjusting for covariates, child FV intake was positively associated with shopping for FV at large chain grocery stores (p < 0.001), natural/organic supermarkets (p < 0.001), warehouse club stores (p = 0.002), discount superstores (p < 0.001), small local stores/corner stores (p = 0.038), convenience stores (p = 0.022), ethnic markets (p = 0.002), farmers’ markets/co-op/school farm stands (p < 0.001), and gardens (p = 0.009) among Hispanic/Latinos participants. Among African American participants, there was significant positive association between child FV intake and shopping for FV at natural/organic supermarkets (p < 0.001), discount superstores (p = 0.005), and convenience stores (p = 0.031). The relationship between location and frequency of shopping for FV and child FV intake varied between races. Further research is needed to better understand the influence of cultural and physical environmental factors. Nutrition education programs are vital to encouraging families to make healthier food choices and purchases to improve child FV consumption.

A Proposed Model of a Future University in the Era of the Artificial Intelligence Transformative Society: From Why to How

This paper is an attempt to circumscribe briefly the evolution and the revolution of the Global Society in which we live (usually called the Transformative Society) that embedded a huge change in technologies, digitalization, and knowledge-based economy. We need to develop future oriented curricula for “a new university paradigm” that adjust dynamically with the needs of the society and the employers to make the students straightforwardly ready from an output of the new model of university to a swift productive input for the employers. This will help the economy to be more competitive and improve the wellbeing of the Citizens in terms of health and better quality of life. While a traditional University sells degrees, the New Model of University we are offering sells skills for students and prospective employees who want to be life learners equipped with the cutting edge technologies and knowhow. We will use coop programs, in-field learning, and international internships to exchange with worldwide student through a wealth of network.

Effectiveness of Work-Integrated Learning Partnerships: Case Study of Cooperative Education in Agricultural Tertiary Education

The growing demand for promoting the role of higher education institutions in sustainability has contributed to creating new partnerships with other actors. In the field of education, the formation of cooperative education (co-op) partnerships was adopted as a strategy for work-integrated learning in cooperation with industry. This study investigated the effectiveness of co-op partnerships and the factors that influence them in the context of tertiary agriculture education in Saudi Arabia. A random sample of 130 co-op students was selected within the Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences delivered by the College of Food and Agriculture Sciences at King Saud University. The satisfaction level of students was explored in terms of four main areas, namely, the quality of the program design, organizational climate, personal and professional qualities, and program learning outcomes. The majority of students (70%) were highly satisfied with the quality of the program design, while they had a moderate level of satisfaction regarding the organizational climate of the co-op program (74.6%). Furthermore, 85.4% of students were highly satisfied regarding the learning outcomes they gained. The results also revealed that there were significant positive relationships between the level of satisfaction of students regarding program learning outcomes and their quality assessments of the program design, personal and professional qualities, and organizational climate. The measurement scale used in this study may assist in assessing the sustainability of co-op partnerships. Moreover, understanding the satisfaction level of students can help to identify areas that should be improved and, in turn, contribute to improving the governance and sustainability of co-op partnerships for all stakeholders.

Carbon emission reduction decisions of supply chain members under cap-and-trade regulations: A differential game analysis

A global consensus has been reached that carbon emission reduction is now an inevitable social trend. A manufacturer can reduce its direct carbon emission by itself and indirect carbon emission by cooperating with suppliers. In a low-carbon context, we investigate a detailed model that combines cap-and-trade regulations with the low-carbon preferences of consumers. In this research, differential game models are developed to study the emission reduction decisions of two supply chain members under three scenarios: (1) a non-cooperation (coop) scenario where the manufacturer makes a decision on its level of effort in carbon emission reduction and the supplier is followed; (2) a coop program scenario in which the supplier’s emission reduction efforts are supported by the manufacturer; and (3) a two-way coop contract scenario in which both supply chain members support each other’s emission reduction efforts. A comparative study is conducted on supply chain members’ carbon emission reduction efforts and optimal profits obtained under the above scenarios. The results indicate that under the two-way coop contract scenario, both supply chain profits and emission reduction levels are the largest, with the greatest efforts made by channel members. In contrast to the non-coop scenario, both firms make more emission reduction efforts and earn more profits under the coop program scenario.

“I Have Grown”: A Case Study of Student-Athlete Career Development at Clemson University

&#x0D; Student-athletes are burdened with demands, expectations, and stressors that pose challenges to their personal development, rendering many student-athletes ill-prepared for career choices outside the sports milieu. Internships are vital to the skill development for all students. Clemson’s University Professional Internship and Co-op Program (UPIC) offers on-campus internship opportunities for qualifying students. Informed by student involvement theory (Astin, 1984), the purpose of this case study was to examine Clemson student-athlete’s perceptions of participating in the UPIC program. Although the student-athletes experienced challenges during their internships, the data revealed that the internship was instrumental in the professional development of the participants, specifically in the areas of communication, collaboration, and work ethic. Overall, 88.89% of student-athletes felt their internship was very relevant to their career goals. This case study provides an example of cross-campus collaborative programming that assisted in the career development of student-athletes and should be implemented at other colleges and universities.&#x0D;

PROFESSIONAL PAGES: The Wood Products Processing Program at the University of British Columbia – Reflections on the Last Twenty-Five Years

The Department of Wood Science at the University of British Columbia initiated its Wood Products Processing (WPP) program in September 1995. The program replaced a previous wood science-based program, which, like many programs across North America at the time, suffered from low enrollment levels. The new program introduced a greater focus toward manufacturing processes, their analysis and optimization, and aspects of business operations. This article describes the establishment of some of the essential components of the WPP program and their development over the last 25 yr. Enrollment, co-op program, and graduation data are presented. The transfer programs established with Chinese forestry universities, which have fueled recent WPP program growth, are detailed. Some areas where the program has met with less success are discussed, as are some recent developments of the program.

Practice Makes Perfect

Co-op placements are vital components of an LIS edcucation. Co-op programs allow students to gain relevant work experience, apply their theoretical knowledge of librarianship in the field, and identify new areas for professional development; however, one aspect is often overlooked in these programs. LIS co-op students can expand their experiential learning by proposing and pursuing new projects in the field, which will enhance their overall education and support their institution and profession at the same time. In this article, I will reflect on my co-op experience with the Collections and Content team at the University of Guelph, and I'll discuss how a group of co-op students started the first Co-op Community of Practice at Guelph.

Why Did the ACA Co-Op Program Fail? Lessons for the Health Reform Debate

The ACA created a new type of nonprofit health insurance entity, the "Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan" ("co-op"). Most of the newly created co-ops soon lost money, and only 4 of the original 23 remain. We interviewed key stakeholders and conducted in-depth case studies of 3 of these co-ops. We discovered that politicians and regulators made it unlikely the program could succeed, that most of the co-ops did not have the management capacity to overcome these political obstacles, and that even those with good managers lacked the needed fiscal resilience. We also considered lessons suggested for those proposing a newly created "public option." The main one is that a successful public option requires a supportive political environment, strong management, and significant fiscal capacity, none of which comes easily. A better route may be a quasi-public option in which the government subcontracts the operation of its newly created plan to a private firm. Although it is uncertain whether federal regulators have the capacity to hold such private for-profit firms accountable, pragmatism suggests that a combination of public-sector regulation and private-sector implementation may be the most direct path toward a US version of affordable universal coverage.

Gatekeepers of Engineering Workforce Diversity? The Academic and Employment Returns to Student Participation in Voluntary Cooperative Education Programs

This study examines the effect of participation in cooperative education (co-op) programs on engineering undergraduate students’ academic and employment outcomes, with particular attention to diversity in engineering. Co-ops are partnerships between an academic institution and an employer designed to engage students in early practical work experience through rotations of full-time employment and full-time traditional classroom study. Previous studies highlight the positive academic and employment returns to participating in co-ops. However, among voluntary co-ops, it is unclear to what extent these potential benefits can be attributed to the causal effect of engagement in co-ops versus the selection of higher-performing students. This study addresses this selection issue by using propensity score matching. Data come from 12 cohorts of engineering undergraduate students from a large, research-intensive institution in the Midwest. Results indicate that co-op participants are more likely to graduate in an engineering major and to have higher overall grade point averages compared to their non-co-op peers. On average, co-op participants are also more likely to obtain engineering jobs and to earn higher starting salaries post-graduation than their non-co-op peers. Although Hispanic/Latino students are less likely to participate in co-ops, underrepresented racially minoritized students who complete co-ops are more likely to graduate in engineering and to earn higher starting salaries post-graduation than those who do not participate. Research findings provide support for promoting co-ops as a potential strategy to help improve student academic and employment outcomes with implications for potentially diversifying the engineering workforce downstream.

Young Entrepreneurs Environment Development: Analyzing the Effectiveness and Strategic Design

The purpose of this research is to know what the right effectiveness and strategy for analyzing Cooperative Academic Education Program (Co-Op) at Lancang Kuning University. To analyze the effectiveness and Strategic Cooperative Academic Education (Co-Op) in creating self-employed entrepreneurial students and motivate by using Qualitative Descriptive Method. Qualitative data analysis method is used to answer some questions by analyzing, one of them is the effectiveness analysis and strategy to create independent entrepreneur of Cooperative Academic Education (Co-Op) program. The results of the research showed that integrated Working Learning (Co-Op) is very necessary for all universities This condition can be read as an acknowledgment in which the agenda to move forward the nation cannot be done partially. There must be a continuous synergy of both the business world and the world of MSMEs, Coop program implemented for 2 years is consecutively considered effective. This can be seen from the achievement of effectiveness indicators Coop program at Unilak and to create self-employed young entrepreneurs from Lancang Kuning university students has self-employed entrepreneurs strategy.

Work-Ready Graduates: The Role of Co-op Programs in Labour Market Success

A type of work-integrated learning, co-op combines academic studies with field-related work experience and has seen an increase in popularity, thanks in part to financial boosts from federal and provincial governments and its ability to ease students' transition to the labour market. Using data from Statistics Canada's National Graduate Survey, this report assesses the role of co-op programs in labour market success, specifically its link between higher incomes and career success.

BUILDING PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE FORMAL EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS: THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF ENGINEERING CO-OP PLACEMENTS

The addition of a co-op component to a traditional academic curriculum creates a unique challenge for those international students who enter the program without a strong command of the English language and with insufficient familiarity with the professional context. This paper investigates that challenge as it relates to the international students enrolled at a Canadian Bachelor of Engineering co-op program. Currently adopted pedagogical practices are reviewed and an argument is introduced for alternative strategies and solutions to be devised so that academic and professional success is attainable for all students.

Why should a Laboratory be required for Linear Circuits I ?

When in the fall semester of 2017 at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, a Laboratory was added to Linear Circuits I , it provided an absolute amazing insight into the absence of practical knowledge of students. They could not identify resistors, or capacitors. They had in most cases no idea what a DMM was and how to use it. Setting up fairly simple circuits on a proto-board and making voltage and current measurements had to be shown to each Lab group. A Lab experiment with an Op-Amp meant, that several of the Op-Amps were sacrificed to the smoke god. Students were amazed by what an Oscilloscope could do and how one could see the charge and discharge of a capacitor. At the end of each experiment, MatLab was used to verify the practical results obtained. What was gratifying at the end of the semester that each student group had high praise for the inclusion of a Laboratory into the curriculum. All the frustration and the extra work involved was worth it if one looked at the final result and that a practical component had been added to the students background, which would serve them well in a summer internship or in the Co-op program.

DIVERSIFYING THE ENGINEERING VOICES: BRINGING DIVERSE PROFESSIONALS TO THE CLASSROOM THROUGH VIDEO INTERVIEWS

Abstract – This paper will discuss the importance of using videos in the classroom and the significance of adding diversity to teaching and learning, particularly in engineering and technology. Increasing diversity is a common goal seen in many institutions, including the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University. Beginning in Fall 2017, instructors from the Bachelor of Technology program, in the School of Engineering Practice and Technology (SEPT) will integrate recorded video interviews of diverse professionals into the classroom, hopefully putting the goal more within reach. These videos will depict professionals in engineering fields who identify as young, female or visible minorities. In these interviews, the participants will discuss a variety of topics including: the importance of communication skills in a professional environment; the advantages of participating in co-op programs; life after graduation; as well as other topical issues. In addition to the proven benefits of learning through videos, students will hear from various professionals of different backgrounds thereby adding diversity to the engineering classroom.

The Difficult Progression of the Rights of Canada's Indigenous Peoples and the Obligation of Fiduciary Duty Indigenous Rights in the Canadian Legal Context

&lt;div class="page" title="Page 3"&gt;&lt;div class="layoutArea"&gt;&lt;div class="column"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Sukhraaj Singh Shergill is a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo’s Bachelor of Arts Co-op Program. Graduating with he continues to follow his passions in legal analysis, policy development, human rights, Indigenous issues and fiscal management. Just shy of celebrating three years of experience dealing with Indigenous issues as a member of the Federal Public Service, he hopes to combine his passions and use his degree to affect efficient policy and legal reform as a human rights lawyer or continue as a Federal Public Servant. Following his second publication with the University of Waterloo Legal Studies Undergraduate Journal, he begins his pursuit of his Juris Doctor Degree at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at Lakehead University in September 2017. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;