Co-op Hiring Process

Owned by Sahil Kale
Last updated: 2024-12-04 by Daniel Puratich
7 min read

Overview

Audience: Co-op hiring coordinators, subteam leads, directors.

Motivation:

  • F24 term: This document received a large update to clarify some of the details.

  • S21 term: WARG attempted to hire co-ops for the term. However, in the absence of such a guide, the process took much longer than expected. While successful, many questions could’ve been answered had this document existed.

Please follow all steps in the correct order to ensure that the co-op student is set up for success at WARG.

Pre hiring process

University Trainings

Complete the required supervisor trainings on Learn. If you do not do this, SDC administration will be upset and it’s embarrassing.

Determine co-op project

It is recommended that the co-op student have a predefined project to work on. This makes it easier for the co-op student as it allows them to:

  • Measure progress

    • And therefore ask for help when required

  • Engage with the work

    • Single onboarding and specialization, which is not possible with separate tasks

    • Keep them busy

      • The co-op student is expected to be working full time at WARG

      • Do not give them useless tasks, ensure you have meaningful stuff lined up

  • Write meaningful résumé points

    • Specifically, the reason for doing a task rather than making their résumé look like a bunch of Jira ticket titles

“We were just barely able to break down enough work for [the co-op], and there wasn't a sole intern project we could give him because the entire system was already tasked out. Obviously, the better PM we have now would've helped, but the lesson is don't hire a co-op unless you're actually getting flooded with work or have a dedicated project.” - Lesson learned from a subteam lead.

Additionally, having a predefined project makes it easier for the co-op hiring coordinator and co-op supervisor:

  • Focused job description

  • Progress tracking

  • Reduced administration (e.g. task assignment)

Determine support

Co-op Manager

The co-op supervisor must be available during the co-op student’s term as a primary mentor: Co-op Supervisor Promotion Criteria . As manager you are taking full ownership over your co-op. Keeps track of tasks and the day to day activities.

Co-op Mentor

Having a separate member as a backup mentor is nice to have. They can take responsibility for mentoring the co-op in technical topics while the co-op manager is busy.

However, the final responsibility of the co-op is still with the co-op manager.

Safety captain

The safety captain must exist and must be aware of the intent to hire a co-op: Safety Captain

University Contacts

You should list out the SDC director and other contacts the co-op student can go to in the rare case they do not feel comfortable talking to WARGians about an issue.

Determine requirements and timelines

  1. Write a startup guide: Creating a Startup Guide

    1. Writing one beforehand forces you to think about timelines, what they would do, what requirements you are looking for in a co-op, and ensure that you’ve thought of the big picture

  2. Write a job description: Job Description Writing

Approval

Co-op hiring must be approved by WARG directors. Then, co-op hiring requires approval from the SDC. Follow the steps under Hiring A Coop Student : Current Teams | Sedra Student Design Centre

  • Email the SDC director (currently Peter Teertstra)

Student design teams are limited to 2 co-ops per term. WARG has a good record with co-ops and is therefore allowed to exceed this.

Hiring process

Post in WaterlooWorks

Professor Teertstra emails us toward the end of the term asking if we want to post. At this time we submit our Co-op Job Descriptionsto him to post for us. He puts up the posting on WaterlooWorks into the SDC WaterlooWorks account as the employer.

Use the SDC account given by Professor Teertstra (as of S24) in the employer section of WaterlooWorks to post the positions. The account credentials can be found in the password manager used by WARG.

Usually the post goes up just before the last rounds end or in continuous. If a round ends we can optionally repost, but ideally we avoid doing this. When resumes come in they should be reviewed immediately and filtered down into a few that we want to interview.

Interview requests are performed via email. Please use Email for this. Interviews should be done as quickly as possible so we can get back to applicants quickly.

When we extend an offer, do it via email. When they accept we can forward it to our waterlooworks contact so they can make it official and do the paperwork on the waterloo works end. Then proceed to the rest of the post hiring proccess below.

Selection process

Selection process to give a co-op offer: Selection process

As WARG postings typically occur late in the term (around cycle 4-5), the WaterlooWorks cycle timeline is generally too short for WARG to use the ranking system. So we generally try to avoid using the ranking system completely. Essentially the posting is only used to grab resumes. We must sign into the SDC WaterlooWorks account to get access to all the applicants resumes.

Instead, WARG contacts the interviewees directly to give offers. We technically can use the ranking system but it’s never been optimal and we rarely do it. Going late for posting is a requirement from the SDC but also nice to ensure we don’t encourage students to take an unpaid co-op over a paid one.

Post hiring process

Review requirements

Review the startup guide to ensure that it has all of the required information.

  • If the co-op student expresses interest in working on a different project over the one planned in the startup guide, see if there’s an opportunity to give them that experience.

    • Co-ops are very dynamic so staying flexible is important as a manager

Onboarding

Send reminder

1-2 weeks before the start date, send a reminder email using the WARG email with the following:

  • Start date and time

    • Schedule an introductory meeting at this time

  • Start location

    • Instructions to get to the location

  • Link to startup guide

    • Reminder to complete pre 1st day tasks

Good morning [co-op student name],

Welcome to WARG!

  • Start date: [date]

  • Start time: [time]

  • Location: [location with instructions]

Here is the schedule for your 1st day:

  • [schedule]

  • [if there is one]

We have created a startup guide for you, found here: [link]

Please complete the pre 1st day tasks before your start date!

[closing],

[your name]

[signature block]

Hi [co-op student name],

We’re so excited to have you joining us [next week/in 2 weeks/whenever]! Here’s all the information you need to get started:

If you haven’t already, please complete the pre 1st day tasks in your startup guide, found here: [link]

Please plan to arrive at the [location] at [time] on [date]. You can get to [location] by [instructions].

Here’s the schedule for your 1st day:

  • [schedule]

  • [if there is one]

[closing],

[your name]

[signature block]

 

Old stuff

todo organize

Step 1: Determine requirements for the co-op

  • Each SDC team is permitted to hire up to 2 co-ops, any higher and you need approval.

Step 1.5: Definition Phase

Step 2: Find a co-op supervisor, & safety captain

  • The co-op supervisor needs to be

    • a 3rd or 4th-year student

    • On a school term or has an employer on campus

      • Note: Spring 2021, WARG got approval despite having a supervisor who was on co-op that wasn’t employed by the University. This was likely because the role at the time was fully remote.

  • Once you’ve found the co-op supervisor & safety captain, they will need to complete the following courses that can be found on LEARN, alongside the team lead: (Do these ahead of time!)

    • Employee Safety Orientation

    • Workplace Violence Awareness

    • WHMIS 2015 for Employees

    • Laboratory Safety

    • Supervisor Safety Awareness Training

    • ENG student Machine shop card/training

Step 3: Approval Phase

  • After approval has been sought, you may proceed to step 4

Step 4: Hiring Phase

  •  

  •  

Extending an offer - Direct Offer Period ONLY

Hello [Candidate Name],

I am sending this email to confirm that we've extended you the offer for the [Posting Name] position, which expires on [Date] at [Time] EST.

Here are a few extra details about your coop term with WARG:

  • Start Date: [Date]

  • Length of work week: 30-40 hours (flexible hours)

  • Mandatory attendances: Weekly Tuesday and Thursday meetings from 7 to 9 PM

  • Report to: [Your Name] (your.name@uwaterloo.ca)

  • In-person activities: [Details]

The WARG team is looking forward to working with you!

Congratulations,

[Your name here]

 

Conflict of interest

  • If an individual helping assist in the co-op search feels as though they have a conflict of interest, they should inform the individuals assisting the co-op search and team lead.

    • Ex: Involved together in another organization, friends outside of school, etc.

    • Good rule of thumb is: “Do I have their contact on something outside of LinkedIn”?

  • Involved parties should not be scheduled the same interview to maintain objectiveness. 

  • Involved member may provide a balanced evaluation, but should not contribute in ranking the individual

  • Undisclosed conflict of interest

    • Involved member will be removed from the co-op search effort

    • Candidate will be dealt with on a case by case basis

Step 5: Onboarding Phase

  • DO NOT IGNORE THIS PHASE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IF YOU HAVE HIRED A CO-OP

  • Send the startup guide a few days before starting to prime them for their expected tasks and get a line of communication going.

  • You need to submit the co-op information form within 2 weeks of hiring the co-op.