Graduate Co-op

The M.Eng program is structured to assist qualified engineers in the advancement of their professional careers and to provide students with the skills necessary to address key technological challenges. All students in the M.Eng program have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or other related discipline from an accredited university in Canada or elsewhere. This professional, course-based program provides an opportunity for qualified engineers to improve their theoretical and practical skills.

The M.Eng Co-op Program provides students the opportunity to work in a professional setting to advance their practical experience relevant to their academic field.

Students in this program are available to complete a 4-month work term beginning in May, September, or January. A smaller group of M.Eng students who are also completing the Graduate Diploma (GDip) in Engineering Leadership and Innovation, may be eligible for an extended 8-month work term.

Participating M.Eng programs include:

• Chemical and Biochemical Engineering (CBE) MEng Program
  • Biomaterials and Biochemical Engineering
  • Environmental and Green Engineering
  • Food Processing
  • Particle Technology and Fluidization
  • Process Control and Safety
  • Reactor and Process Systems Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) MEng Program
  • Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
  • Wind Engineering and Environmental Fluid Mechanics
  • Structural and Infrastructure Engineering
  • Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
  • Natural Disasters Mitigation
• Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) MEng Program
  • Communication Systems Engineering
  • Power Systems Engineering
  • Robotics and Control
  • Software Engineering
• Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) MEng Program
  • Automation Technologies and Systems
  • Composite Materials
  • Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
  • Materials and Solid Mechanics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Thermofluids

The M.Eng Co-op Program benefits employers by providing access to engineering talent with advanced education and experience.  Students in the M.Eng program study complex subjects in a diverse variety of fields, and many students in the program have practical experience gained through previous engineering employment.  The combination of advanced education and practical experience makes these students uniquely qualified to help tackle some of the most technically challenging projects within organizations.   

Additional benefits to hiring a long-term co-op student include the following:

• Pro-active recruitment : You can assess the potential of future graduates
• Employer of choice : Your company will establish a presence and image our co-op students will share with their classmates when they return to school
• Potential re-hires : You can save recruitment costs by rehiring for future positions within your organization
• Reduce costs : Co-op placements may be created to complete short-term work assignments, special projects, and research 

The M.Eng Co-op program offers employers complete flexibility regarding recruitment timelines and activities. Job postings, interviews, and offers are done without date restrictions.

Postings: Postings will be accepted on Western Connect for May, September or January start opportunities up until three weeks prior to the proposed start date.  All posted opportunities must meet the minimum duration requirement of 12 weeks.

Interviews: We'll help you coordinate interviews in our on-campus interview rooms, via Zoom, or at your company location. Simply email the Engineering Career Services Office, wecareer@uwo.ca, for assistance.

Offers: We will present employment offers right away to students, with a 48-hour response time.

To help offset the cost to employers when hiring co-op students, the Ontario government provides a refundable tax credit for hiring students enrolled in a recognized post-secondary co-operative education program.

The eligible employer's total tax credit for the taxation year is equal to the sum of the tax credits for each qualifying co-op work placement. Co-op employers will be sent a tax receipt once the student has completed their co-op work term.

How do I claim the tax credit?

Eligible employers will claim the tax credit on their Ontario income tax returns. Corporations will claim the tax credit on the CT-23 or CT-8 return. Employers operating unincorporated businesses will claim the tax credit on the Ontario Tax Credits for T-1C(ONT) included in their personal income tax return. The tax credit will be available to businesses in the taxation year in which the qualifying co-op placement ends.

Who is an eligible employer for the purposes of this tax credit?

An eligible employer includes all Ontario corporations or unincorporated businesses with permanent establishments in Ontario, subject to Ontario corporate income tax, or Ontario personal income tax.

What students are eligible for the purposes of this tax credit?

Any student who is participating in the Engineering Long-Term Co-op Program or Summer Co-op Program in Ontario meets the requirements. If you have questions about a student’s eligibility, please contact Engineering Career Services.

For more information about the tax credit, please visit the Ontario government website.

Western is a member of CACEE (Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers) and CEWIL (Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada).

Students are employed in settings that provide work experience directly related to their academic program and career objectives. Co-ops have come to be highly valued by both employers and students. Organizations have an excellent opportunity to evaluate potential full-time employees during a 4-month work term, while students are able to combine their academic knowledge with professional work experience.

Guidelines for hiring a co-op student:

It is expected that an employer will:

• Work with Engineering Career Services throughout the recruitment process, including providing updates on any interviews set and offers made to the appropriate Western contact
• Confirm acceptance of job offers and terms of employment in writing to students and to the institution
• Provide a job that relates to the position posted
• Honor all offers of employment
• Provide relevant, degree-related projects
• Provide accurate and complete information on job responsibilities, compensation, and benefits
• Provide the student with a thorough orientation to job and company
• Provide supervision and mentorship
• Assign a mentor or advisor to assist the student to identify goals and clarify role and responsibilities
• Treat the student as an employee
• Provide the student with relevant training and development opportunities
• Monitor the student's progress and provide formal/informal feedback on a timely basis to both the student and to the institution.

Offer relevant, degree-related projects

A co-op placement should offer the student relevant, degree-related experience over the course of the work term. Students should feel challenged and be able to reference and utilize their academic training during the performance of their job. The work environment should provide initiative and encouragement. The student should be given autonomy to work on projects, and to report back to the project supervisor. Students should be encouraged to provide input and recommendations.

Supervision and mentorship

For students to remain motivated and productive, feedback on their performance is important. This is especially critical if their work habits need modifying in order to achieve success. We encourage employers to provide this feedback regularly, and to be available to answer questions and provide guidance, especially in the earliest part of the work term.

Orientation and training

For many students, starting a co-op work term can be intimidating, regardless of their level of experience. It is recommended that your company take students through an orientation process that will provide them with an opportunity to learn about your organization (perhaps a tour), become more familiar with their own work location, and meet their supervisors. A social activity for all new co-op hires can put students in touch with each other and provide networking opportunities.

Most students have limited work experience; therefore, adequate training will ensure that co-op students develop the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfill the expectations of their role. While initial training is usually provided, subsequent education is often required ensuring that the co-op students are working to their potential. In many cases, the outgoing co-op student will be required to train the incoming co-op student.

Health and safety training

You, as the employer, are responsible for ensuring all co-op students have received and understand the employer’s health and safety policies and procedures, including those policies and procedures applicable to workplace violence and harassment.  In addition, appropriate health and safety training must be provided to all co-op students at the commencement of the co-op work term.

Outline learning objectives

A co-op transitions learning from the classroom to learning on the job. Learning objectives will balance the needs of the co-op student to develop skills, with the organization’s productivity needs, while serving to improve the student’s competence to perform to the company’s expectations. Learning objectives not only outline the schedule of job activities and expectations for the co-op students, but address what should be learned through these activities. It is important that the work assigned to students be relevant to their academic background and level of education. Learning objectives are a tool to measure the performance of a co-op student during the evaluation process.

Steps for developing learning outcomes:

• Identify learning needs with respect to a particular set of competencies
• Outline the learning objectives – describe what the student is expected to learn, not what they are expected to do, and provide a timeframe for meeting these expectations
• Identify learning resources and strategies (e.g., manuals, internet, company training sessions, colleagues, etc.)

Indicate how accomplishment is measured and provide evidence that the competency has been reached

Common averages for M.Eng co-op wages range from $19 - $35/hour. Various factors may influence wages, including previous work experience, company location, and industry sector. It is important to consider that students in this program have an advanced level of education with specialized expertise..

Final Evaluation - Provide a final evaluation at the end of the work term. It is important not only to give feedback to the student, but also assess improvements in performance and success in meeting objectives. The learning objectives should once again be reviewed, and both the supervisor and student should provide input. All students are required to submit their final evaluations to their faculty coordinator.