The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the notion of inclusion from the perspective of LGBTQ+ co-op students in the context of their work term experiences, including searching for work and during the work term. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight LGBTQ+ students who had at least one previous work term experience…

Work-integrated learning, also known as co-operative education, allows students to alternate between on-campus classes and off-campus work terms. This provides an enhanced learning experience for students and a talent pipeline for employers. We observe that co-operative job postings are a rich source of information about the required skills,…

Students in psychology are often surveyed for personality. Empirical results show relevance of this topic, because personality influences academic success. In contrast, we know much less about the personality of students of cooperative education. So, we collected data from 5,863 students at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University in August…

Using self-determination theory, this research explores the characteristics of the basic needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University, one of the largest institutions for cooperative education in Germany. By comparing the results from two different academic majors and two academic years, the…

There is limited research available that examines students with disabilities' participation rates and perceptions of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) while in post-secondary. This is problematic as universities in Canada are growing their WIL programs to improve school to work transition rates. This research finds that 23% of students who are…

The COVID-19 pandemic, a non-economic event, has accelerated trends already emerging throughout the workplace, specifically remote work, technological job displacement, and growing disparity between those with a college degree (post-K12) and those without. In planning for this year's Recruiting Trends project, it was decided to keep the survey…

Higher education institutions nowadays are eyeing the potential of cooperative & work-integrated education programs (CWIE) in increasing the English proficiency level of Thai students. Hence, this study aims to interlink English language teaching and learning vis-à-vis the various CWIE programs utilized by the College of Local Administration,…

Postsecondary cooperative (PSE co-op) education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience, for which Ontario is termed a "hot bed." Adopting a mixed-methods design, this study explores the status and characteristics of Ontario's PSE co-op in the national and the global contexts through…

Cooperative education is a form of work-integrated learning that includes both classroom study terms and paid work experience. Prior work has studied the benefits of cooperative education for students, employers, and academic institutions. In contrast, this article studies the impact of co-operative education on students' mental well-being. This…

Work-integrated learning options--or experiential learning--(such as co-operative education, practicum placements, and community service learning/volunteer placements) offer much scope for enhancing educational opportunities for post-secondary students to learn about the workplace and to develop skills that may contribute to their future…

Using a complete data sample of 579 graduating business seniors, this study successfully created separate items for measuring paid internships/cooperative education (co-ops) and unpaid internships/co-ops. Students reported lower frequencies for self-reported paid and especially unpaid internships/co-ops. Several correlates were found to be…

For students in cooperative education (co-op) programs, meaningful work is a critical aspect of participation and a key component of program success. However, studies have not explored how meaningful work can be created for co-op students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between co-op students' perceptions of a learning…

Undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students are graduating with insufficient communication skills, thereby diminishing their employability and upward socio-economic mobility. The purpose of this action research study was to explore ways of improving the alignment between academic outcomes and employer needs related to…

Global industry requires resilience and adaptability to match the new fluid necessities of 21st Century reality. Learning as a finite suite of knowledge and skills at university to prepare for a static career is now anathema, with industry demanding constant new insight and innovation to meet the needs of an ever-changing global society. In the…

There is mutual agreement about the need for internationalization in higher education. However, there is no consensus regarding the best practice. Universities offering cooperative and work-integrated education have a comparative advantage in providing their graduates with capabilities needed on the labor market. They face the challenge to develop…