Employers

The Benefits of Hiring a Trent Co-op Student

While students gain the benefit of real-world career experience, there are several ways that you, as an employer, can benefit

Gain access to a pool of talented, eager and goal-orientated individuals

Trent students are problem-solvers and critical thinkers with excellent communication skills. They are ready and eager to take on new learning experiences, which means your workplace gains a team member with fresh ideas, unique perspectives, and valuable knowledge.

 

Develop and train up-and-coming talent

When you have the direct experience of working with future full-time candidates while they are still university students, you can instill core skills and expertise early on in their careers. This benefits your future recruitment and hiring efforts as you’ll have a pool of candidates who already have your preferred skills and understand your business. This can support future recruitment and hiring efforts as you’ll have a pool of candidates who have the skills you are looking for.

 

Launch special projects

Co-op work terms are roughly 4 months long, giving students the opportunity to manage well-defined special projects that your other employees or full-time students do not have the capacity to take on.

 

Receive federal wage subsidies and provincial tax credits

Hiring students in our approved co-op programs could earn you a credit of up to $3,000 through the Ontario Tax Credit, and additional wage subsidies through the Student Work Placement Program.

Co-op Employer Events

Are you interested in learning more about co-op at Trent? Join us for our two-part virtual information sessions this Fall to learn more about our selection of programs, funding available to hire co-op students, and how the Trent co-op team can support the recruitment and hiring process! Sessions will focus on Humanities & Social Sciences with information shared about the other co-op programs available at Trent.

We have sessions scheduled for October and November to ensure you have the chance to attend both.

October Info Sessions

Part 1: Hiring a Trent Humanities & Social Sciences Co-op Student 

Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. | REGISTER HERE

Part 2: Funding Opportunities to Hire Co-op Students

Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

November Info Sessions

Part 1: Hiring a Trent Humanities & Social Sciences Co-op Student

Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. | REGISTER HERE

Part 2: Funding Opportunities to Hire Co-op Students

Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. | REGISTER HERE

Co-op Employer Information Sheets

The Co-op Employer Information Sheets provide an overview of the co-op program, the benefits of hiring a Trent co-op student, employer responsibilities, wage subsidies and tax credit information, and hiring timelines. 

Please click on each program's respective information sheet to learn more:

• Accounting
• Business
• Computer Science
• Conservation Biology
• Criminology
• Economics
• Financial Science
• Humanities & Social Sciences (15 diverse programs)
   

Funding for Co-op Employers

Interested in hiring a co-op student to contribute to your team? There are a range of funding options available throughout the year that can offset or sometimes cover student wages during their work term with you. Visit the Funding for Co-op Employers page to learn more.

Co-op Employers on the Student Experience Portal

Co-op employers will utilize the Student Experience Portal to post their co-op jobs on our Co-op Job Board. Please watch this video or view the text guide for detailed instructions on how to set up your employer account on the Student Experience Portal and post on the Co-op Job Board. Information about hiring timelines, employer and student responsibilities, and tax credit letter information is also shared in the video and text guide.

Please note that not all co-op programs at Trent are using the Student Experience Portal. For inquiries about the Business, Accounting, Economics, or Conservation Biology co-op programs, please contact the respective Co-op Coordinator as seen on the Contact Us page.

Employer Responsibilities

As a co-op employer, you play a central role in introducing Trent students to the professional world. To ensure a positive experience for both you and the student, we ask you to:

• Set and manage expectations on the responsibilities and duties during the work term, including helping align the student’s learning objectives and outcomes to their work.
• Offer regular coaching and mentorship to the student throughout the work term.
• Provide feedback to the Co-op Coordinator on the student’s progress throughout the work term.
• Complete a midterm and final evaluation on the student’s performance.
• Offer fair compensation to co-op students based on job responsibilities and current labour standards, legislation, and post-secondary policies.
   

Recruitment Standards

Careerspace is a member of the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) and follows the Guidelines for Ethical Recruitment.

Job postings and on-campus recruitment must conform to the Ontario Employment Standards and the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Please refer to the Trent Employer/ Recruiter Recruitment Policy for more information.

Request Information

Contact Careerspace if you have questions about designing a co-op position or hiring a Trent co-op student.

Email us: coop@trentu.ca
Call us: (705) 748-1011 ext. 6012