Work Placements
Cooperative education is the combination of study and work. The Cooperative Education Unit at the University of Waikato is the foremost leader in New Zealand for Cooperative Education-type programmes, with on average 200 students each year. Work placements are an opportunity to get experience in real work related to your discipline. You must be enrolled in either a BSc(Tech) or BE degree to do a work placement.
Work placement student profiles
Cooperative Education Unit staff
We have a team of University staff called the Co-op group who assist with finding work placements. View details for our staff here.
Industry placement guidelines
The Industry Placement Guide for BSc(Tech) and BE students is available here as a PDF:
Placement Guide 2010.
The benefits of Cooperative Education
Cooperative Education benefits everyone involved, the students, the employers and the university.
Student benefits:
- Gain practical experience in your field of study, often solving real problems in the workplace.
- Understand how course material is applied and the relevance under practical situations, which can help increase motivation.
- Build contacts with professionals in your area which increases your chances of being offered a full-time job.
- Develop interpersonal and communication skills and a professional outlook.
- Gain valuable career information to make better decisions about future employment.
- Earn money!
Employer benefits:
The main advantage of our programme is that we provide preselected, motivated students who have met our entry requirements. The work placement is given full academic credit to the degree, thus serving as a potent motivational tool.
- Access to reliable, motivated and skilled individuals.
- Temporary cover or help with short and long term projects.
- The opportunity to screen students for full-time employment.
- Regular contact with Co-op staff.
- Collaborative research opportunities with Science & Engineering academics.
University benefits:
- Constructive liaison with, and input from, a range of employers, with potentially large spin-offs for research and teaching.
- Increased motivation for students to learn and to appreciate the value of education and its place in their future.
- Promotion of our students, degrees and university.
