Westmount C.I. Co-Op Department

Co-op prepares students for their school-to-work transition by increasing their understanding of workplace practices and skills, exploring occupational fields and industry sectors that are of interest to them, and by making informed educational career decisions. Cooperative Education combines a course being studied in school with a related on-the-job placement. This course is designed for students who wish to explore a career by means of on-the-job experience. Students may also choose to be registered as an Apprentice in certain trades through OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) and start earning apprenticeship hours while still in high school earning credits. This program integrates classroom theory with practical experience in a workplace. Cooperative Education is based on an agreement between the school and community partner, and involves the participation of students, teachers, and placement supervisors. Students are in class at the beginning of a semester and then proceed to their placement for the duration of the term. Co-op teachers visit placements on a regular basis to monitor student progress and ensure safety standards are in place. Each Co-op experience is linked to an in-school subject. Students may take a Co-op course in any subject area given that they take the subject concurrently (within the same semester) or have successfully completed it previously.