the co-op advantage: notes from a national panel survey alex usher higher education strategy...
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The CO-op Advantage: Notes from A national Panel SuRvey
AleX UsherHigher education strategy associates
University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario – September 12th, 2012
Data Sources
Some data comes from the annual Globe and Mail survey (30-38,000/year, all institutions)
Most comes from HESA’s CanEd student panel; 8,000 and 10,000 members from across Canada, surveyed 8 times per year.
Co-op student in CanEd sampleVaries between 8-12% of total
27% Each in Business and Engineering
19% Science, 15% Arts
8% Health, 5% Education
Understanding the co-op difference
Co-op students differ from general population not just in the type of program but also in distribution of field of study
Need to distinguish between differences driven by program and those driven by field of study
Demographics
Co-op skews male (53% vs. 40%) and visible minority (28% vs. 19%)
No difference in socio-economic profile
No difference on most personality traits
Significantly more likely to be attending PSE for career reasons; much less likely to be interested in grad school
Choosing an institution
Much more likely to say they chose a school based on employment considerations (41% vs 25%)
Twice as likely as other students to say choice of institution influenced by a teacher (20% vs. 11%)
Less likely care about campus size (45% vs. 32%)
Less likely to expect to work independently (44% vs. 59%) or interact with teachers (24% vs. 30%)
Satisfaction
More likely to think their school has a sense of community
Slightly higher levels of satisfaction, holding FoS constant
Slightly more likely to recommend their school to others
Future Work and Finances
More confident about finding work and repaying debt
Significantly more likely to have entrepreneurial ambitions (41% vs 25%)
Attracted to low-cost jurisdictions
Work-life balance aspirations similar to other students
Summer Work
65% work for a new employer in the summer (vs. 42%)
Wage premium varies from 30-80%, depending on FoS.
Avg = $720/week (vs. $423/week)
Work far more likely to be related to FoS
Summer Work/Study Relationship
The Work-Learning Experience
Jobs which combine school and work thought to be far more rewarding than other kinds of work
But to what extent is it co-op, specifically, which is adding value? Are there other kinds of work where students can get similar kinds of rewards?
Work Experience
“My Field of Student was Best Possible for My Job” – Latest Unstructured Work Experiences
Summer Job In-School Job Volunteer
Education 15% 12% 48%
Visual & Performing Arts 8% 15% 6%
Humanities 8% 12% 10%
Social Sciences 5% 6% 18%
Health &Related Fields 19% 27% 6%
Business 19% 22% 7%
Physical & Life Sciences and Technologies 15% 17% 22%
Math & Computer Science 26% 42% 0%
Engineering & Architecture 23% 35% 11%
Agriculture & Environmental Sciences 19% 6% 8%
All Students 16% 19% 16%
Work Has Positive Impact on Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills
Work Provides Better Understanding of Concepts Learned in Class and their Real-World Application
Work Improved Knowledge and Technical Skills in Areas Related to Field of Study
Work Provided a Better Understanding of General Workplace Culture, Norms and Behavior
Work Improved Inter-personal & Teamwork Skills
Work Gave Me A Better Understanding of What I Want to Do With My Life
Work Will Make It Easier to Find a Job After Graduation
Work Will Make It Easier to Find a Job in My Field of Study After Graduation
