The Cooperative Education placement is academically assessed and its successful completion is a requirement for graduation. The employer plays an important role in the evaluation process. We expect that employers provide students with an opportunity to develop their skills while doing work of real value for the organisation.

In preparing for Coop, students are asked to consider a number of skills areas from which they are asked to select specific skills they wish to develop during their placement. They will be asked to evaluate the extent of their skills development throughout the placement, and this will form part of their Coop Report.

Employers will be asked to evaluate their performance in the following areas:

- Ability to Learn
- Reading/Writing/Communication Skills
- Listening and Oral Communication Skills
- Creative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
- Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills
- Organisational Effectiveness Skills
- Basic Work Habits
- Cultural Adaptation (Global placements only)
- Professional Skills

Employers should ensure that students are fully briefed on what is expected of them in the workplace, and of the organisation's policies and regulations as they apply to them.

Coop students will need supervision during the placement, especially in the early stages. It is important for employers who need a student to be a self-starter and to work fairly independently from day one to make this clear when recruiting. Throughout the placement, it is useful if the student has someone to whom they can turn for advice and support.