Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Program (COOP)
Overview CTE CO-OP
Educators have long recognized that many students learn better when classroom instruction is supported with real-life hands-on experiences. In the era of integration of academics and a focus on 21st century employability skills in career and technical education (CTE), these experiences are essential.
A Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Program (CO-OP) provides an important link between the classroom and the workplace for students age 16 and older. It enhances and adds relevance to classroom learning. High school students often find learning on an abstract level challenging and learn more readily when they see the theory in operation and have an opportunity to practice what they are learning. The CO-OP is essentially a partnership that links school, community, and business/industry to provide a real-world environment in which students are given the opportunity to apply, and thereby enhance, the knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom.
The work experience (paid or unpaid) component of CO-OP is related to the student’s CTE program of study, with the primary goal to develop career relevancy and competence. These work experiences can also motivate at-risk students to remain in school and improve their academic achievement. CO-OP helps a student develop 21st century skills, including initiative, human relations, and the attitudes and behaviors necessary for success in the workplace and community.
Program Descriptions
All Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Programs (CO-OP) have the common objective of providing opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate job skills at a supervised worksite supported by training plans developed cooperatively by the employer, certified work based learning (WBL) coordinator, instructor, and student. There is ongoing communication between the job mentors and the WBL coordinator concerning students’ performance and needs.
A school district or BOCES may organize its CO-OP program around a specific CTE content area or combine several cluster areas into one “diversified” program. Each CO-OP program needs to have a coordinator who holds the Coordinator of Work Based Learning Programs for Career Development extension #8982. The WBL coordinator works collaboratively with the corresponding CTE instructor to deliver the curricular components of the CO-OP program.
Career and Technical Education Career Cluster Area Programs
Educators have long recognized that many students learn better when classroom instruction is supported with real-life hands-on experiences. In the era of integration of academics and a focus on 21st century employability skills in career and technical education (CTE), these experiences are essential.
A Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Program (CO-OP) provides an important link between the classroom and the workplace for students age 16 and older. It enhances and adds relevance to classroom learning. High school students often find learning on an abstract level challenging and learn more readily when they see the theory in operation and have an opportunity to practice what they are learning. The CO-OP is essentially a partnership that links school, community, and business/industry to provide a real-world environment in which students are given the opportunity to apply, and thereby enhance, the knowledge and skills obtained in the classroom.
The work experience (paid or unpaid) component of CO-OP is related to the student’s CTE program of study, with the primary goal to develop career relevancy and competence. These work experiences can also motivate at-risk students to remain in school and improve their academic achievement. CO-OP helps a student develop 21st century skills, including initiative, human relations, and the attitudes and behaviors necessary for success in the workplace and community.
Program Descriptions
All Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Programs (CO-OP) have the common objective of providing opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate job skills at a supervised worksite supported by training plans developed cooperatively by the employer, certified work based learning (WBL) coordinator, instructor, and student. There is ongoing communication between the job mentors and the WBL coordinator concerning students’ performance and needs.
A school district or BOCES may organize its CO-OP program around a specific CTE content area or combine several cluster areas into one “diversified” program. Each CO-OP program needs to have a coordinator who holds the Coordinator of Work Based Learning Programs for Career Development extension #8982. The WBL coordinator works collaboratively with the corresponding CTE instructor to deliver the curricular components of the CO-OP program.
Career and Technical Education Career Cluster Area Programs
Benefits of CTE Cooperative Work Experience Program (CO-OP)
For Students:
• Provides a real-world learning environment to develop interests and abilities
• Develops an understanding of employment opportunities and responsibilities through
direct worksite experiences
• Promotes the development of positive work habits and attitudes
• Provides a real-world setting for developing marketable skills
• Provides opportunities to apply classroom learning (both academic and CTE)
• Provides real life interaction with other employees, which leads to better understanding
of the human factors in employment
• Provides an opportunity to participate in, and profit from, two types of learning
environments—school-based and work-based
• Increases motivation to remain in school, graduate, and pursue postsecondary
education/training (lifelong learners)
• Provides financial rewards in paid CO-OP while career focused skills are being
developed
For Schools:
• Brings employers and schools together in a training effort to develop strong CTE
programs
• Enhances the ability to meet the needs of a diverse student population
• Makes education more relevant and valuable for students
• Promotes school/faculty interaction with the business community
• Increases relevant school-based learning by helping students clarify career goals and
providing a practical means of reaching them
• Bridges the gap between school and the world of work
For Employers:
• Fosters involvement in the CTE curriculum development process
• Provides an opportunity to experiment with new programs, projects, and/or activities
with student assistance and input
• Improves employee retention
• Provides a pool of potential future employees
• Can reduce training/recruiting costs
• Provides a community service
For the Community:
• Provides an effective way of helping young people become productive citizens in the
community
• Increases the economic health of the region and state as students help employers
meet the need for skilled workers
• Promotes respect and tolerance between various groups in the community
• Provides a method of introducing high school students to local employment
opportunities
• Promotes closer cooperation and understanding between community and schools
• Encourages students to remain in the local community after graduation, thus promoting
a more stable workforce
Program Registration
All CO-OP programs must be registered and approved by the New York State Education Department. A program registration form is in Section VI. Initial program registration is valid for five years and must be renewed every five years thereafter. Any questions about the CO-OP registration/approval process can be directed to the New York State Education Department, Career and Technical Education Team, 89 Washington Ave., Room 315EB, Albany, NY 12234, 518-486-1547.
Requirements for an SED-Approved Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Program (CO-OP)
• The local Board of Education has approved the inclusion of Career and Technical
Education Cooperative Work Experience as a program offering.
• Complete the application and secure NYSED approval of the registered CO-OP
program.
• The related CTE program is an approved program by NYSED,
• The employer understands that the student placement is governed by NYSED,
NYSWCB, NYSDOL, and USDOL labor laws and regulations.
• A written memorandum of agreement is in effect between the cooperating business and
the education agency.
• Students complete an application indicating their understanding of and agreement to all
rules and regulations as set forth by the WBL program
• Students receive instruction embedded within their CTE curriculum relating to the
technical and 21st century employability skills.
• A training plan is developed and used for each participating student.
• Students are given written notification that this program may be unpaid and they are
not due any wages per NYSDOL regulations.
• Health and safety instruction/training appropriate for the job is provided by the school
before employment, and employer specific training is provided by the employer on the
worksite.
• All participating students are meeting, or have met, academic requirements of their
CTE programs and academic subjects.
• The program is conducted by a certified CTE teacher who possesses extension #8982
as a Coordinator of Work Based Learning Programs for Career Development.
• Specific information relating to NYSED, NYSDOL, NYSWCB regulations, 21st century
employability skills, WBL forms, training plans and additional program information
may be found at www.nysweca.org.
Scheduling and Transportation Considerations
Scheduling and transportation arrangements depend on the school and employment situation, and should serve the interests and CTE program needs of the student. Scheduling should be considered in the early planning stages of the school’s master schedule to help ensure that the academic and related career/technical subjects may be included without conflicts. The students must also have appropriate and safe transportation to participate in CO-OP.
Quality programs depend on the built-in flexibility of the school and BOCES schedules. This includes the willingness of the school and employer to adjust student’s schedules, the hours when employers can utilize student services, the student’s ability to get to and from the worksite, and the availability of a qualified, certified WBL coordinator.
General Scheduling and Release Time
For the Student:
• The student’s schedule may provide for either late arrival or early dismissal.
• The experience may take place before, during, or after CTE class time.
• The district or school must schedule the required academic courses into the student’s
course load.
For the Coordinator
• The coordinator’s overall schedule should allow him/her time to visit each work site at
least three times per semester or placement period.
• The coordinator should consider travel time to training sites when developing the
schedule.
• The coordinator needs release time to participate in local, regional, and state meetings
and relevant professional development opportunities.
Summer Scheduling
The nature of certain kinds of employment or programs may make it necessary to schedule CO-OP experiences during the summer months. Students must be supervised by a certified WPL coordinator with extension #8982 during the summer months for students who are training at school-approved worksites as part of their CO-OP program.
For Students:
• Provides a real-world learning environment to develop interests and abilities
• Develops an understanding of employment opportunities and responsibilities through
direct worksite experiences
• Promotes the development of positive work habits and attitudes
• Provides a real-world setting for developing marketable skills
• Provides opportunities to apply classroom learning (both academic and CTE)
• Provides real life interaction with other employees, which leads to better understanding
of the human factors in employment
• Provides an opportunity to participate in, and profit from, two types of learning
environments—school-based and work-based
• Increases motivation to remain in school, graduate, and pursue postsecondary
education/training (lifelong learners)
• Provides financial rewards in paid CO-OP while career focused skills are being
developed
For Schools:
• Brings employers and schools together in a training effort to develop strong CTE
programs
• Enhances the ability to meet the needs of a diverse student population
• Makes education more relevant and valuable for students
• Promotes school/faculty interaction with the business community
• Increases relevant school-based learning by helping students clarify career goals and
providing a practical means of reaching them
• Bridges the gap between school and the world of work
For Employers:
• Fosters involvement in the CTE curriculum development process
• Provides an opportunity to experiment with new programs, projects, and/or activities
with student assistance and input
• Improves employee retention
• Provides a pool of potential future employees
• Can reduce training/recruiting costs
• Provides a community service
For the Community:
• Provides an effective way of helping young people become productive citizens in the
community
• Increases the economic health of the region and state as students help employers
meet the need for skilled workers
• Promotes respect and tolerance between various groups in the community
• Provides a method of introducing high school students to local employment
opportunities
• Promotes closer cooperation and understanding between community and schools
• Encourages students to remain in the local community after graduation, thus promoting
a more stable workforce
Program Registration
All CO-OP programs must be registered and approved by the New York State Education Department. A program registration form is in Section VI. Initial program registration is valid for five years and must be renewed every five years thereafter. Any questions about the CO-OP registration/approval process can be directed to the New York State Education Department, Career and Technical Education Team, 89 Washington Ave., Room 315EB, Albany, NY 12234, 518-486-1547.
Requirements for an SED-Approved Career and Technical Education Cooperative Work Experience Program (CO-OP)
• The local Board of Education has approved the inclusion of Career and Technical
Education Cooperative Work Experience as a program offering.
• Complete the application and secure NYSED approval of the registered CO-OP
program.
• The related CTE program is an approved program by NYSED,
• The employer understands that the student placement is governed by NYSED,
NYSWCB, NYSDOL, and USDOL labor laws and regulations.
• A written memorandum of agreement is in effect between the cooperating business and
the education agency.
• Students complete an application indicating their understanding of and agreement to all
rules and regulations as set forth by the WBL program
• Students receive instruction embedded within their CTE curriculum relating to the
technical and 21st century employability skills.
• A training plan is developed and used for each participating student.
• Students are given written notification that this program may be unpaid and they are
not due any wages per NYSDOL regulations.
• Health and safety instruction/training appropriate for the job is provided by the school
before employment, and employer specific training is provided by the employer on the
worksite.
• All participating students are meeting, or have met, academic requirements of their
CTE programs and academic subjects.
• The program is conducted by a certified CTE teacher who possesses extension #8982
as a Coordinator of Work Based Learning Programs for Career Development.
• Specific information relating to NYSED, NYSDOL, NYSWCB regulations, 21st century
employability skills, WBL forms, training plans and additional program information
may be found at www.nysweca.org.
Scheduling and Transportation Considerations
Scheduling and transportation arrangements depend on the school and employment situation, and should serve the interests and CTE program needs of the student. Scheduling should be considered in the early planning stages of the school’s master schedule to help ensure that the academic and related career/technical subjects may be included without conflicts. The students must also have appropriate and safe transportation to participate in CO-OP.
Quality programs depend on the built-in flexibility of the school and BOCES schedules. This includes the willingness of the school and employer to adjust student’s schedules, the hours when employers can utilize student services, the student’s ability to get to and from the worksite, and the availability of a qualified, certified WBL coordinator.
General Scheduling and Release Time
For the Student:
• The student’s schedule may provide for either late arrival or early dismissal.
• The experience may take place before, during, or after CTE class time.
• The district or school must schedule the required academic courses into the student’s
course load.
For the Coordinator
• The coordinator’s overall schedule should allow him/her time to visit each work site at
least three times per semester or placement period.
• The coordinator should consider travel time to training sites when developing the
schedule.
• The coordinator needs release time to participate in local, regional, and state meetings
and relevant professional development opportunities.
Summer Scheduling
The nature of certain kinds of employment or programs may make it necessary to schedule CO-OP experiences during the summer months. Students must be supervised by a certified WPL coordinator with extension #8982 during the summer months for students who are training at school-approved worksites as part of their CO-OP program.