Discover the Trent Co-op Advantage

At Trent University you can curate a co-op experience that best suits your interests.

Are you applying to universities and colleges this year? One thing you should consider is whether the program has a co-op option. Co-op is the best way to enhance your education, gain paid work experience, and set yourself apart as a new graduate when completing your degree.

At Trent University, we offer 20+ competitive co-op streams in programs across the sciences, humanities, and social sciences that allow you to gain valuable career experience through paid work terms. Discover why you should consider co-op at Trent University:

Building your own co-op experience

At Trent, you have the unique opportunity to curate a co-op experience that best suits your personal career goals, growth areas, and interests. You can choose to find your own work, or you can apply for a co-op position from Trent’s career development centre, Careerspace. So, if you don’t see something that interests you in our database of opportunities, then you can find your dream co-op yourself! If you choose your own work term, you’ll need to ensure the position meets Trent’s standard work term requirements (work term length, hours, compensation, and evaluation).

Don’t worry if you don’t know where to start looking for your co-op employment; we’ve listed some resources to support your work term:

• Trent’s Careerspace
• Student Job Board
• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Government of Canada Summer Jobs
• Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP)

Now that you know where you can find great resources to support your co-op term, you should check out these reasons why you should consider a co-op program at Trent:

Advantages to co-op

If you’re still on the fence about whether a co-op program is right for you, explore these interesting benefits:

• Earn money to help pay for school
• Gain plenty of job application experience: resumés, cover letters, and interviews
• Network with potential employers
• Explore different career paths
• Graduate with less debt
• Gain valuable career experience
• Gain new strengths and skills
• Enhance your resumé
• Set yourself apart from other graduates

How do I begin my co-op journey?

You could graduate with your degree and 12 months of paid work experience in as little as four years! Here’s how:

Step one: Choose your program and apply for one of Trent’s competitive co-op streams

First, you should explore all of our programs that offer competitive co-op streams. There are over 20 programs that you can choose from, ranging from Ancient Greek and Roman Studies, Business Administration, Criminology, Media Studies, and more! Once you’ve found a program that interests you, apply to Trent!

Here’s a quick guide on how you can apply to Trent University:

Step two: Join Trent’s community

Accept your offer of admission to join Trent’s community of scholars!

Step three: Register for the COOP 2000H course before your first work term

Through the COOP 2000H course, the professional development pre-requisite course for co-op students in the Humanities and Social Sciences (including Business), you’ll learn what your responsibilities are as a Trent co-op student and prepare for a successful work term.

Step four: Gain experience through three paid work terms

Complete three paid work terms, equaling nearly 12 months of work experience, finish a reflection report after each term along with all other degree requirements, and graduate career ready.

See how easy it is to gain paid work experience in an area you’re interested in?

Incorporating a co-op into your education is a great way to enhance your degree. With Trent University’s Co-op Advantage, you can create your own unique work experience as you explore your interests and career options! Prepare for your career at Trent University.