COOP : Students

Welcome!

Welcome to your information source on cooperative education or “COOP”. It’s a college program that integrates classroom studies with paid, productive real – life work experience in a related field. Students get the best of both worlds - a high academic degree and impressive resume of practical work experience.

Cooperative Education (COOP) is an academic program designed to provide student’s opportunities to work off campus as professional assistant related to their academic majors or career goals. It is a unique form of education that integrates classroom study with paid and supervised work experiences in the public and private sectors. It allows students to acquire essential practical skills by being exposed to the reality of the world of work beyond the boundaries of the campus, enhancing their self-confidence and career direction.

The Program strives to create optimum learning through partnership involving the learner, the university, and the work site. Employers and the Institution jointly provide students with a meaningful high quality experience through full – time or part – time employment.

Alternatives/ modalities

In COOP there are many alternatives, available by participating companies. These are:

Parallel Program: work half day and study half day

Extension Program:  work full time and study at nights

Alternate Program: work full time a whole trimester and the following study full time.

ADVANTAGES/ BENEFITS

• Helps you define your professional objectives and decision making  on your career.
• It offers you the opportunity to prove the knowledge you have acquired in the classroom in real work laboratory settings.
• It offers valuable experiences that will allow you to compete in an excellent manner with those recent graduates looking for work.
• It develops work skills like preparing a resume and interview skills.
• It provides you with economic income which helps pay for your expenses.

Basic REQUIREMENTS

The Program is academic in nature and  students are required to fulfill the following:

1. Be a regular PUPR student.
2. Maintain GPA of  2.50 or higher.*
3. Be in the 3rd, 4th or 5th year of studies or have approved a minimum of 90 credit hours.
4. Fill out the COOP application form.
5. Provide an update resume.
6. Genuine interest, enthusiasm and responsibility  knowledge, learning and development of skills, techniques and enterprise culture.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Maintain your resume updated.
2. Register in COOP 3010 - 39 when you are selected for employment.**
3. Be an American citizen or foreign student with a  VISA.
4. Participate in employment interviews.
5. Complete a professional practice in their majoring area in an organization here in Puerto Rico or United States, for a minimum period of 3 months.

* Required GPA depends on employer requirements.

** COOP can be equivalent to your professional practice.

SERVICES

▪ Orientation on:

·        Resume writing, cover letters, pursuit letters and thank-you letters.

·        Interview preparation and techniques.

·        Professionalism in the work place.

·        Salary scales.

 ▪ Job Fair (in the Fall)

 ▪ Internships in Puerto Rico and United States  

GET INVOLVED

If you are interested to belong to the Cooperative Education Program and fulfill the requirements, bring us, send by email or fax the following:

• Resume

• Consent to Disclosure Information

• Application

  Sent to careercenter@pupr.edu