Cooperative Education Program

2024-2025
Cooperative Education Program

Career Exploration Curriculum Presentation

Entrance Application and Requirements

This program packet MUST be completed before any schedule changes can occur. ALL students must meet with the program Coordinator before completing the packet and receive a passing grade on the Workplace Safety Exam before being allowed to report to work.

Important Items:

• It is a cooperative relationship between employers of the community & public schools to train students in the world of work.
• It is for Juniors & Seniors 16 to 20 years of age.
• It establishes a link between business, home, & school, allowing employers an influential voice in education.
• Co-Op provides classroom instruction in topics including:

Career Exploration
Entrepreneurship Overview
Employability skills
Work Ethic/Job Safety
Civic Responsibility
Employers Expectations & Employees
Advancement
Life management Skills
Business Psychology

Vision
All students have an opportunity to apply their academic, technical, and interpersonal skills to a work-based learning experience. This authentic application of knowledge and skills is achieved by completing a structured job shadowing, internship, apprenticeship, or work experience.

• a combination of academic course work and work-based experiences
• students earning high school credit while on the job
• a written cooperative agreement between the high school and the employer
• connecting activities between the classroom and the work experience.

The Career Education Office offers a variety of cooperative education programs. Programs fall under the general category, of work experiences.

• Academic development: Students apply knowledge learned in the classroom to the workplace setting.
• Skill development: Students apply skills required in the workplace and career field.
• Career development: Students enhance personal knowledge of the qualifications and responsibilities of a career field and the processes for accessing that career field.
• Personal development: Students strengthen decision-making and critical-thinking skills, personal responsibility, confidence, and self esteem.
• Technology utilization: Students use technology as it applies to the industry. Achievement of these goals will be demonstrated by student participation in academic courses, experiences at the work site, and connecting activities.,

Rationale
Student achievement is the Council Rock School District’s primary goal. Research has proven that experiential learning promotes intellectual maturity, personal growth, career awareness, as well as civic and social responsibility. Experiential learning through a cooperative education program provides a dynamic, structured partnership offering a wide range of opportunities to promote student achievement.

Work-based experiences provide students with a means to develop the skills and knowledge base necessary to make appropriate and informed decisions in the career development process and prepare them for lifelong learning. A work-based experience offers students an opportunity to fuse academics with the real world and optimize educational achievement.

For the Business Community!! To increase Productivity

To provide a source of well-trained future employees available for full & part time which may reduce the cost of recruitment & training.

To provide employers with an opportunity for input into school subject areas & to become part of the educational process.

To provide an opportunity to render an important service to the community.

For the student-(Full year 2-3 credits)

To clarify & formulate values, especially related to work

To reinforce & expand basic skills taught in all subject areas.

To learn the skills, knowledge & attitudes for successful employment.

To gain practical experience in a realistic work setting.

Co-op bridges the gap between textbook theory & the realities of the world of work.

The student enrolled in academic subjects as well as a class related subjects.

On The Job!

The student is supervised by trained, experienced employees according to a pre-planned schedule of work experience.à The student becomes a member of the business organization's staff of employees on a part-time basis, receiving regular wages.

Program Requirements
Complete the application process for the cooperative education program in a timely. (Keep information current.)

1. The following will be considered by the cooperative education coordinator:
   • grade level
   • attendance
   • grade point average
   • success on functional tests
   • service learning hours
   • supporting, courses
   • counselor recommendations
   • parental approval
   • assessment of student interest/motivation
2. Complete and sign "Cooperative Education Work Application."
3. Provide proof of car insurance. (if applicable)
4. Discuss commitment to work experience success (i.e., work schedule, business ethics, daily routine, etc.).
5. Complete and sign "Student/Parent/School Agreement."
6. Complete and sign "Work Permit."
7. Verify transportation arrangements with Coordinator.
8. Establish work schedule with Coordinator.
9. Complete any other requirements as specific to the program.
   
   ** Note ** All forms noted above are available through the Career Education Office and the cooperative education coordinator.

On-Going Requirements for Cooperative Education Programs
All students in the Cooperative Education Program will keep a daily time sheet, attend regularly scheduled courses at school, and turn in all required paperwork. These three elements help the students demonstrate the application of their learning in a meaningful way, foster productive habits of the mind, and help students take control of their learning.

Checklist of Cooperative Education Program Topics:

c      Personal Interest / Goals Survey

c      Course Introduction

c      Body Language 

c      Career News & Workforce Trends (Ongoing) 

c      Investigating the World of Work (Ongoing) 

c      Unusual Jobs 

c      Interest Survey 

c      Post-Secondary Education / Training 

c      Personal Decision Making  

c      Goals à Planning & Goal Setting 

c      Career vs. Job,  

c      Career / Jobs Research (Personal) 

c      References 

c     Job Site Visits 

c      The Resume 

c      Letter of Introduction 

c      The Interview – Expectations 

c      Mock Interviews 

c      Dress for Success 

c      Making Smart Choices 

c      Organizational Skills 

c      Time Management 

c      Thank You 101  

c      Personal Road Bumps – Anger, Rejection, Frustration, Self-Doubt 

c      Fair & Equitable Competition 

c      Responsibility 

c      Work Ethic 

c      Safety 

c      Teamwork 

c      Telephone Etiquette 

c      E-Mail Etiquette 

c      The Work Party / Celebrations

c      Technology / Cyber Challenges 

c      Networking 

c      Your Future (Ongoing) 

c      Money Issues 

c      Creating a Budget 

c   Identity Theft 

c      Taxes 

c      Labor Laws 

c      Portfolios Due 

c      Final Reflection / Celebration

Career Websites

Responsibilities of the Cooperative Education Programs<o:, p="">

• Students
  • Focus attention on AM CRSD classes and attendance requirements.
  • Develop academic, occupational, and employability skills.
  • Adapt to the worksite.
  • Adhere to school/employer/student/parent cooperative education agreement.
  • Establish and maintain a portfolio. Maintain a journal/log of the work experience.
• Parent
  • Participate in the career exploration and development process.
  • Support child's career motivation.
  • Collaborate with school personnel in the development and execution of the work experience.
  • Assist their child in arranging safe and reliable transportation to and from the worksite.
• Employer
  • Instruct the student in safety and health procedures and policies.
  • Initiate a mentoring relationship with the student employee.
  • Increase the student's responsibilities as appropriate.
  • Have realistic expectations.
  • Adhere to Child Labor Laws (for students 17 & under)
  • Orient the student to the workplace.
  • Invest considerable time and energy.
  • Maintain communication with the cooperative education coordinator
  ,
• School
  • Provide administrative leadership and support.
  • Provide flexible scheduling.
  • Establish business partnerships that provide tangible, concrete benefits to students.
• Cooperative Education Coordinator
  • Incorporate Skills for Success and All Aspects of the Industry into the instruction.
  • Coordinate the development of student learning plans .
  • Provide resources and expertise in portfolio development.
  • Include real-world applications in instruction

Benefits

• An opportunity to learn from a structured exposure to the workplace.
• An opportunity to learn the various aspects of an industry or career.
• A school-based coordinator to reinforce and develop both general and specific employability skills and attitudes.
• A written goals to assist the student in obtaining the greatest benefit from the workplace experience.
• A competitive edge in obtaining marketable career skills and experience.
• A sampling of a career without the pressures and commitments of full-time employment.
• A structured and directed exploration of the world of work.
• An opportunity to develop a network of people who can be helpful in future job se, arches.

Indicators
Cooperative Education Work Experience Indicators

1. Practice workplace readiness skills to be a productive and responsible worker.
2. Employ effective communication skills necessary to maintain or be promoted in employment.
3. Demonstrate the interpersonal skills necessary to be an effective team member.
4. Evaluate a workplace setting to make an informed career choice.
5. Practice management methods and skills to function effectively at the workplace.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of social, organizational, and technological systems by operating successfully within them at the workplace.
7. Demonstrate the ability to adapt to change in technology at the workplace to be a productive worker.
8. Use problem solving techniques to resolve issues in the workplace.
9. Demonstrate mastery of competencies in a specific occupation to be a productive worker.
10. Apply safe work habits to ensure a safe work environment.
11. Apply goal setting strategies to be a productive worker.
12. Adhere to health and environmental practices at work to be a responsible worker and citizen.
13. Use related occupational materials to enhance specific skill development.

PA Curriculum Standards
The core learning goals PA Curriculum Standards identify five areas of student achievement: learning, thinking, communication, technology, and interpersonal skills. PA Curriculum Standards guide learning and application of content knowledge. The CRSD Cooperative Education Board approved curriculum framework includes core learning goals for cooperative education with specific program indicators that guide and assess student learning.

• Learning
  • The student will plan, monitor, and evaluate his or her own learning experiences.
  • The student will establish and pursue clear, challenging goals for learning.
  • The student will adapt, as necessary, to changing needs and situations.
  • The student will persevere, when appropriate, in different learning situations.
  • The student will apply acquired knowledge and skills effectively in new learning situations.
• Thinking
  • The student will think creatively, critically, and strategically to achieve goals, make effective decisions, and solve problems.
  • The student will generate creative ideas in a variety of situations.
  • The student will evaluate information, issues, and positions critically.
  • The student will demonstrate strategic thinking in a variety of situations to make effective decisions and achieve goals.
  • The student will solve problems systematically and rationally.
• Communication
  • The student will plan, participate in, monitor, and evaluate communication experiences in a variety of situations.
  • The student will plan for successful communication experiences.
  • The student will acquire, manage, and convey information using a variety of strategies and technologies.
  • The student will monitor communication processes and make necessary adjustments to solve problems.
  • The student will evaluate communication experiences in a variety of situations.
• Technology
  • The student will understand, apply, and evaluate technologies as labor enhancing and problem-solving tools.
  • The student will demonstrate knowledge of current technologies appropriate for a variety of purposes and situations.
  • The student will use technology effectively for a variety of purposes and situations.
  • The student will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of technology on the environment, society, and individuals.
• Interpersonal
  • The student will work effectively with others and participate responsibly in a variety of situations.
  • The student will demonstrate effective interaction strategies.
  • The student will cooperate with others in a variety of situations.
  • The student will function as a responsible citizen.