Arranging your Own Placement (Direct Match)

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Students who are interested in pursuing a company on their own for a Long Term Co-op position are welcome to do so.

If you are successful in securing a Long Term Co-op position on your own you, will need to submit a Co-op Approval Request Form to the  Engineering Career Services team with the following documents:

  • Formal job description.
  • Offer letter/letter of employment (including start and end dates, and salary offered)
  • Company information
  • Supervisor information and position title

Upon receipt of this information, the Engineering Career Services will review, and let the student know if this position can be counted as an official Long Term Co-op.

Position review & formalization of an eligible opportunity should occur within Engineering Career Services at the same time it is being completed with the company.

What makes a valid co-op opportunity?

These are the criteria that must be met for a position to be recognized as a formalized Long Term Co-op opportunity. It must meet the following requirements:

  • Be paid (minimum wage or higher)
  • Be full time hours (30 hours/ week or more)
  • Position must be engineering focused (i.e., utilizing engineering skill sets related to your degree).
  • Position must be a 8 -16 months
    • 12 – 16 months co-op typically start in May
    • 8 – 12 months co-op typically start in September
  • Student's co-op is supervised by an employer at the work location(The supervisor cannot be a conflict of interest such as a family member) 
  • Potential work term must be evaluated prior to the end of the student’s work term at the company
  • Student must have submitted their application and been approved to participate in the program

Are there any job search tools that students can utilize outside of the Western Connect in-house job board?

Yes, separately from Western Connect, students are strongly encouraged to search for a Long Term Co-op opportunity of their own by utilizing job search tools to increase their chances of finding a co-op.

Job search tools are resources and platforms that help job seekers find job openings, research potential employers, and apply for job positions. Some common job search tools include:

To learn more about Job Search Strategies, join us at one of our workshops or book an appointment with us.