Cooperative Overview of Schedules and Work Assignments

The goal is to provide each student with significantly challenging engineering work that truly complements the rigor of his/her academic program. Every effort must be made to ensure that work assignments are: 

• Related to the student's academic and career goals
• Properly organized with the goals defined during the first week of the student's co-op
• Planned so that progressively more responsible positions are assigned for each co-op

Students should always be assigned to work with a practicing engineer, but the exact duties and functions they will have in the workplace may vary according to the employer and the abilities and skills of the student. Some examples of potential job functions are:

• Testing of both standard and developmental products or building materials, concrete, soils, water, etc.
• Analyzing test data using statistical methods
• Conducting engineering analysis using thermodynamic, static, dynamic, and vibration analysis, etc.
• Performing engineering design utilizing CAD
• Conducting experiments to assist in the design of products or processes
• Writing operating or processing instructions
• Purchasing, installing and starting up equipment
• Assisting on job sites with project management tasks

Students will work a full-time, 40-hour per week schedule (or similar, per company guidelines) for the duration of the academic semester. This will vary depending on the semester of co-op. (Minimum of 12 weeks in the summer and 15 weeks each for the spring or fall, if applicable.)

Extra work is permissible if holidays precede or follow the normal work schedule. Some students remain on part-time during the academic rotation and often return to full-time for their next co-op work assignment.

Repetitive co-op sessions at the same company are encouraged although some students may elect to broaden their experience by working for multiple companies. The student's return is to be agreed upon by you and the student.

An online evaluation of the student is required at the end of the co-op. A faculty advisor will visit the job site about halfway through the semester to discuss the co-op progress with the employer and the student.

A job description should be shared by: 

• Emailing it to Kelly Arcieri (karcieri@ycp.edu) and Andrea Lazarus (alazaru2@ycp.edu).
• Posting it to Handshake (York College's internal job search site) during the hiring process.