Are you in a co-op program?
Out of the 48 individuals that participated in this Class Profile, 46 were in a co-op program with only 2 not. Most students choose to be in the co-op program because of the great experiences it provides, but it's not right for everyone!
What was your favorite co-op location?
NYC and Toronto were fairly popular locations, possibly caused by more good co-ops being available in these cities or because this class liked the environment of the big cities.
Have you ever had a co-op term without a placement?
About 15% of respondents had a co-op term without a placement, so if you find yourself in the same situation, not all is lost and you're not alone!
Finding a co-op placement especially in this job market can be fairly difficult. Don't give up!
Were you ever banned from WaterlooWorks for renegotiating an offer/match?
Reneging an offer or match comes with its risks, but if you believe it's really worth it for another offer, you can make that decision. Only about 13% of respondents were banned from WaterlooWorks for this.
How many co-op offers did you have rescinded?
Most people didn't have any offers rescinded, which is good to see. Of those who did, all but 3 had only 1 rescinded with an whopping 6 for one unlucky graduate.
What company did you work for (co-op #1)?
Where were you located during work (co-op #1)?
What was your position (co-op #1)?
What was your salary per hour in CAD (excluding other forms of compensation)?
What was your co-op evaluation rating?
Overall, the co-op ratings remain fairly inflated, though co-op employees in their 6th term seemed to encounter harsher evaluations.
How happy were you with your co-op?
People seemed to get happier with their co-ops later on. Students tend to get more opportunities as they gain experience; additionally, the earlier terms let you learn more about what you enjoy and what to look for.
How did you find your job?
Later in people's careers, a greater number of co-ops are found externally, which is likely both due to having more experience to reach out to companies not going through WaterlooWorks and due to students taking return offers.
Were you referred to your job?
Most people find their jobs without referrals. Each term, a handful (of varying size) of people do get referred. This shows the importance of building relationships and networking.
Did you complete another co-op term after this one?
Waterloo-based CS/BBA students get 4 to 5 co-ops and Laurier-based CS/BBA students get 3 to 4, as they only start co-op from the second year onwards. 2 people did more than 6 terms, but we did not ask about co-op terms after the sixth.