Placements, Internships and Co-ops - School of Business

In the School of Business, students have the chance to truly launch their career, even before graduation. Students can choose from a placement or internship experiential learning opportunity in fourth year or apply for directly entry (out of high school) Business co-ops or Business Accounting co-ops. 

Details about the Placement Course in fourth year

Details about the Internship Course in fourth year

Details about the Co-ops in Business or Accounting (high school entry)

PDF Information for Employers

Placements are for fourth year students and are normally unpaid, part-time work, approximately one day per week for the term (minimum of 100 hours), and students receive a half credit.  The placement hours are in addition to some course work. The placement course is normally one of five courses in the term so students must schedule their courses around the placement opportunity.  Placements are local, Peterborough, Durham or surrounding area. 

Internships are for fourth year students and are time away from school (a break in studies) where students are in paid, full-time work, for 6, 8 or 12 consecutive months, and students receive a full academic credit. Students return to Trent for one term after completion of the internship hours.  Some Internships are local, but students should be prepared to relocate to other cities in Ontario or Canada. 

Co-op is an opportunity for students to gain work-integrated experiential learning that will help them get a head start on a career. The Business and Accounting Co-ops assists graduating students in achieving a competitive edge while generating experience within a wide range of sectors. Co-op gives the students a chance to obtain practical experience on the job, develop or enhance technical skills, explore career options, network with a variety of individuals and organizations, learn from mentors and tutors, enhance communication and presentation skills, and develop technical writing skills. Business or Accounting Co-ops are a direct entry limited enrollment Program out of high school. Co-ops are September entry only.  No January entry.  No second-year entry.  Co-ops are continuous study with a mix of 8 academic course terms and 3 paid work terms as part of your degree. Work terms can be anywhere in Canada. 

For students, the benefits of participating in a placement, internship or co-op include:  

• the opportunity to develop invaluable real-life experiences and skills   
• the opportunity to build confidence and to learn more about oneself and the profession  
• the opportunity to expand professional networks including potential career prospects  
• the potential to secure a future position with the firm

Details about the Placement Course:

• provides fourth year students (both single and joint majors) with a short-term experience relevant to their subject area  
• students enhance their classroom knowledge with real-world experience  
• students will engage in productive work rather than merely observing (commonly known as job shadowing)   
• students shall commit to regular attendance, minimum 100 hours or roughly a day per week for consecutive weeks within the fall and winter term (12 weeks) or 3 days per week for the summer term (beginning of May to mid-June, 6 weeks)  
• part-time, normally unpaid position  
• placements are normally local and in-person, in the Peterborough, Durham and surrounding area  
• students schedule the placement day around their other academic courses  
• there are some remote placement opportunities   
• student eligibility is a minimum cumulative average of 72%  
• students apply and compete for positions (limited enrollment course)  
• students can use the opportunities provide by the School of Business or can secure their own placement (students must consult with the Placement Coordinator before discussing with an employer and setting up their placement); a placement has to be a new learning opportunity  
• organizations will create a job posting, interview students and decide who to host  
• organizations will assign a supervisor/mentor for each placement and the supervisor will evaluate student performance at the end of the placement  
• placements can be in a variety of business settings (Accounting and Tax, Finance and Investments, Human Resources, Marketing, Advertising, and Social Marketing, Customer Service/Sales/Public Relations, Entrepreneurship, Business Plan Development, and Social Enterprise, Planning/Project Management, Research/Data Analysis/Policy Analysis and Report Writing, Community Outreach/Event Management and Fundraising, Administration, etc.)  

Details about the Internship Course: 

• provides fourth year business students (single major BBA majors only) with in-depth, practical industry experiences relevant to their subject area  
• students enhance their classroom knowledge with real-world experience  
• students spend 6, 8, or 12 months working full-time in industry   
• all internships begin in January or September 
• full-time paid position (minimum 35 hours per week)  
• break in your studies and will delay graduation  
• many opportunities are local, within the Peterborough, Durham and surrounding area but opportunities this past cycle were throughout Ontario including Ottawa, Kingston, Belleville, Trenton, Cobourg, Lindsay, Oshawa, Toronto, Markham, and Mississauga; opportunities will vary each cycle   
• while working full time on an internship, students cannot enroll in other academic courses  
• normally in person   
• student eligibility is a minimum cumulative average of 75% plus the completion of all required courses up to third year and the courses listed under a specialization  
• application deadlines are early, normally 6 months prior to the start of an internships
• students are encouraged to speak with the Internship Coordinators in third year about their internship interests
• students can use the opportunities provide by the School of Business or can secure their own internship (students must consult with the Internship Coordinator before discussing with an employer and setting up their internship)  
• organizations will create a job posting including salary, interview students and decide who to hire  
• organizations will assign a supervisor for each internship and the supervisor will evaluate student performance throughout the internship including a mid-point and final performance evaluation   
• open to students from the Peterborough or Durham campus 

Details about the Co-ops in Business or Accounting:

Co-op is an opportunity for students to gain work-integrated experiential learning that will help them get a head start on a career. The co-op programs offered by the School of Business assist graduating students in achieving a competitive edge while generating experience within a wide range of sectors. Co-op gives the students a chance to obtain 12 months of practical experience on the job, develop or enhance technical skills, explore career options, network with a variety of individuals and organizations, learn from mentors and tutors, enhance communication and presentation skills, and develop technical writing skills.   

Two co-op programs (direct entry from high school): 

• Bachelor of Business Administration – Business Co-op  
  • 10 spaces across both campuses for September 2022.  Students could be interested in marketing, human resources, entrepreneurship, finance, management, information systems etc. 
• Bachelor of Business Administration – Accounting Co-op  
  • 10 spaces across both campuses for September 2022 

For both programs: 

• Students will require a minimum cumulative average of 75% on their Trent courses to stay in the Program. 
• Coop work terms are 4 months in length and students complete 3 paid work terms.  Work terms can be anywhere in Canada.   
• For the Business coop, the first work term is January 2024.   
• For the Accounting coop, students will be working towards their CPA designation and the first work term is January 2025.
• Co-ops are September entry only.  No January entry.  No second-year entry.
• You must be registered in the BBA Business or Accounting Coop to apply for a co-op job/co-op work term.  Your academic record in mytrent will state if you are registered in a BBA co-op.

For more information on Co-op Programs with other Trent Departments click here

PDF Download

For employers, please click here to download more information regarding co-ops, internships and placements.