Cooperative Education & Career Studies

What is Career Studies?

Students in GLC20 will begin to explore post-secondary pathways and career options, while answering these 4 important questions:

  1. Who Am I?
  2. What Are My Opportunities?
  3. What Do I Want to Become?
  4. What Is My Plan for Achieving My Goals?

In this course, students will also have the opportunity to hear from Industry Guest Speakers, attend Career Day Assemblies and speak with Co-op Students while attending Co-op Fairs.

Once students complete Career Studies and they are ready to begin exploring a career, we encourage all students to enroll in Cooperative Education.  


What is Cooperative Education (Co-op)?

Co-op is an Experiential Learning program for Grade 11 and Grade 12 students which combines job preparation skills with practical ‘real life’ work experience in a desired workplace. Students can earn up to 2 Co-op credits (per Quadmester) or 4 Co-op credits (per Semester) Quads 1 & 2 or Quads 3 & 4. All students at Northview Heights have the opportunity to ‘try out’ a career based on their career interests. This allows each student to make more informed decisions about their future careers and desired post-secondary  pathways.

Fact: Two (2) Co-op credits can count as Compulsory credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).  Students have the option to take Co-op multiple times and earn up to 12 Co-op credits. 

For Co-op Brochure, SCAN Here:  


What are the Benefits of Co-op?

All students who are considering ANY one of the Post-Secondary Pathways:

* Apprenticeship * College * University * Workplace  *Community Living

would benefit from taking Co-op. Co-op gives students the opportunity to develop transferable workplace skills, build work habits and cultivate professional connections required for success.  It also helps them identify their strengths and capabilities while providing each with experience and knowledge that can help guide them through the career planning process.


Who are Our Business Partners/Organizations?

Northview’s highly regarded Co-operative Education program has earned us the respect of many of our employers and business partners in the community in a variety of different workplace industries. 

Here are some of Our Workplace Employers and Partners

Specialist High Skills Major Programs: Co-op Placements

Specialized Central Co-op Programs:

The following programs have especially high student demand and require an additional application package. Students are often asked to submit their application for these programs in the Spring of the upcoming school year.  Please contact the Co-op Department for the due dates and deadlines to submit your application.  The Co-op teachers will help you through this process.  

Canadian Armed Forces (Second Semester ONLY) 4 Credit paid placement

 Arts Co-op Program

Banking on Business: Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank

Hospitals: Sunnybrook, North York General, U.H.N. St. Mike’s, Mount Sinai, Sick Kids.

Project Search

Step To Construction

Step to Hospitality

Step to Transportation

Toronto Police Services (4 credit)

xoTO FilmTV Media.Schools

 


Student Testimonials

"Co-op is a great program for students to learn more than just the traditional classroom environment. I really enjoyed learning about cooking at East Side Mario’s. They provide me all the knowledge and techniques in-depth of what it is like to work as a cook. This experience had prepared me so much for my post secondary plus my future career. I recommend those who want to try out a career they have interest in to join the Co-op program because this is where they can decide their future." (Feb. 2021)

 

"I was granted the amazing opportunity to complete my ICT SHSM Co-op credits at the Royal Bank of Canada which honestly a dream come true. I had been torn between pursuing business or something within technology so I was absolutely ecstatic when I was presented this placement! This position has helped me grow tremendously, both professionally and personally, and has provided me with a substantial headstart on my peers. As a result of this CO-OP, I have already begun to sink my roots into a corporate environment and expand my network with well-established, highly respected people within the field. In addition to that, I was also given the opportunity to attend a wide variety of workshops which have allowed me to better situate myself in a working environment." (Feb. 2021)


"One of the most important things in life is socializing and building connections with people. It is vital for our mental and emotional health, which is exactly why this co-op placement is so crucial. We established relationships with residents at Cummer Lodge by speaking to them every morning, created activities and projects for them since as physical activities they can do, a yearbook, cookbook, ecards, letters, word searches and many more in hopes of lifting their spirits during this time and I’m very pleased with the things we’ve accomplished. This experience definitely improved my communication, teamwork and leadership skills. For anyone who is considering this co-op placement, it was a great experience and will give you more insight into different careers in the healthcare industry. Just remember to be open minded when it comes to the residents and flexible with your schedule. This co-op placement really brought me out of my comfort zone and I had a spectacular time." (Feb. 2021) 

 

"As a SHSM-ICT member taking co-op course, I got a co-op placement in faculty of engineering in York University where we got to create our own Unity projects to make our own games, learning and writing codes in C# and using a rendered model of real robotic arms they have in York University, we researched and developed a way to efficiently manipulate the arm’s movement to pick up objects and record its movement. As a student first starting with little to no knowledge in Unity or C#, I was able to learn a lot working and learning with the professor where I developed my skill in Unity and C# as well as improving my leadership and communication skills working daily with my group members to solve problems together. I would recommend taking co-op to anyone interested in certain career fields, but you don’t know where to start or find help as taking co-op can teach you a lot of things you normally don’t in school and you can decide whether that career is for you or not and take this amazing opportunity to learn as much as possible!" (Feb. 2021)

 

​REFERENCES

For more information on Co-op related programs, see below:

Experiential Learning Website: 
https://www.tdsb.on.ca/high-school/your-school-day/curriculum/experiential-learning

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program:
https://oyaptdsb.com/

Dual Credits
www.tdsb.on.ca/AboutUs/Innovation/Dual


​Contact Information

Co-op & Career Studies Department

Assistant Curriculum Leader: Ms.N.Fimis

Staff: Mrs. F. Brennan; Mr. I. Da Silva; Ms. N. Fimis; Mr. E. Moro; Mr. F. Shaikh

Location: Co-op Office (Next to Guidance Department)

Phone:  416.395-3290 x 20020

Email: Natalie.Fimis@tdsb.on.ca