Stephen Donaldson can see the benefit of UPEI’s Co-operative Education program every day. The director of research and development at Island Abbey Food Science said several of the co-op students they have taken on have since started careers with the company. 

“We have hired many students into full-time roles after graduating,” said Donaldson. “It’s a great way to find good new hires. It is also good, from the students’ perspective, to get to know the organization and know what they are signing on to.” 

Co-operative education combines classroom studies with practical work experience outside the university environment, enhancing student learning by applying, testing, and observing theoretical concepts in meaningful work situations. 

Donaldson calls co-op education a win-win for employers and students.  

“The feedback we received from past students was positive,” he said. “They enjoyed their experience here and learned a lot. It does take time and money to hire them and manage them, including ensuring they get the adequate experience and training. But the rewards outweigh the investment. They offer a real benefit to the organization, able to do specific smaller scale projects that are time-consuming for the full-time team. For the return we get with the increased knowledge and insight, it’s a great investment for employers.” 

Donaldson feels the co-op program has value above and beyond the surface experience. He takes that very seriously as an employer.  

“We have an obligation to train the students in our functional activity and give them a broad range of experience,” he said. “It’s all part of supporting the next generation of workers, whatever company they go on to. We firmly believe if we all do this, we all collectively benefit from a higher quality class of graduates.” 

Opportunities to employ co-op students are available in all semesters, with the program currently seeking employers for the Summer 2022 semester.