Mandatory co-op for Ontario high school and post-secondary undergraduates could soon become a reality if the province approves a list of recommendations suggested by a provincial panel of experts.
The panel, called the “Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel,” consists of five education and business experts, and was formed in 2015 by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to advise the government on how to better prepare Ontario students for the workforce.
The panel’s report suggested Ontario students complete two “experiential learning” programs before graduation: one during high school and one during their undergraduate degree. The idea isn’t limited to co-op, and includes apprenticeships, volunteer placements, mentorships, and class projects.
“I think this really sets a precedent for what learning at university should be,” said Jamie Cleary, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Association (OUSA). “It increases opportunities for all students to build connections and learn outside of the classroom, while also being able to apply what they’ve learned in class to the real world.”
Though there is no official timeline for implementing these changes, the panel’s report estimated it would take at least two years.
According to the report, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) will review the recommendations, including mandatory work experience, this summer.
“The goal is to move quickly and work with key partners, including employers, educators and labour,” said MAESD media relations officer Tanya Blazina in an email.
To reach their goal, the report suggested schools partner with third-party organizations, like the job placement website Magnet, to match students with workplaces.
Cleary said the program will benefit students who often have trouble getting work experience before graduating, like humanities or liberal arts majors.
Hala Hniedi, a third-year sociology student at Carleton University, said she knows first-hand the struggle of finding work experience.
“A lot of it includes research, working with people one on one . . . it’s very different than being a doctor or working as an engineer,” she said. “If the school can provide that co-op option for all programs, I think it’s important they do.”
However, Sean Lyons, a professor from the University of Guelph’s college of business and economics, said he is concerned that finding placements for every student will reduce the quality of co-op experience.
He said school-run co-op programs ensure students are not being exploited and placements fit student needs.
“If the expectation is 100 per cent co-op placement, that quality assurance will fall by the wayside pretty quickly,” he said in an email.
Lyons also said mandatory co-op will make the job market even more competitive.
“It’s similar to the escalation of educational credentials,” he said. “A university degree used to be unique and marketable [and] now it’s the entry requirement for access to starter jobs . . . It washes away the initiative of those students who currently seek out such programs on their own accord.”
However, Hniedi said she thinks the benefits of mandatory co-op outweigh the risks.
“It’s going to be competitive,” she said. “But it makes you more informed about the field [and] makes you a better candidate for the job.”
