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The Cooperative Work Experience Program (Co-Op) program provides opportunities for high school juniors and seniors to gain work experience while developing professional and interpersonal skills necessary for success in the workplace. The Co-Op program combines academics with business and industry to provide a real-world environment on which students apply and enhance workforce preparation knowledge and experience acquired in the program courses.
Students are required to work a minimum of 10 hours per week and maintain employment throughout the semester to participate in the Co-Op program. All Co-Op course are offered online, with occasional campus meetings required. Students complete assignments weekly online using Canvas. All students enrolled in Co-Op courses will attend an in-person orientation at the beginning of each semester.
Students enrolled the Cooperative Work Experience Program can earn college credit during high school and will take the following classes if they complete both years of the program.
Co-Op Courses Offered
| Course | Semester | Hours | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| INST 106 Career Readiness Fundamentals | Fall and Spring | 3 | This course integrates real-world work opportunities with a student’s field of interest and career preparation. Students will learn employability skills of workplace communication, professionalism, dependability, and initiative. Goal-oriented thinking and customer focus are also covered. Student will increase their knowledge of workplace skills and apply them to the required workplace experience. Students work towards earning unit badges and workplace skills certificates from Essential Education throughout the course. |
| INST 206 Advanced Career Readiness | Fall | 3 | This course prepares students to enter the workforce in their chosen career path. Networking, record keeping, creating resumes and cover letters, searching and applying for jobs, interviewing, understanding expectations, personal health and wellness, and financial literacy will be covered. Students work towards earning unit badges and workplace skills certificate from Essential Education throughout the course. |
| INST 207 Career Readiness Internship | Spring | 2 | Students apply career readiness skills from previous Cooperative Education program classes during a supervised internship with a local employer in this course. At least 150 hours of workplace experience will provide the student opportunities to build strong workforce readiness skills prior to entering the local job market full-time. This course is taken during the student’s final semester in the Cooperative Education program at DACC and must be taken concurrently with BOFF 260: Professional Development. |
| INST 107 Intermediate Career Preparation | Spring | 3 | This course integrates real-world work opportunities with a students field of interest and career preparation. Students will learn employability skills of maintain records, planning and organizing work, solving problems in the workplace, and working with others. Using tools and technology and career planning are also covered. Students will increase their knowledge of workplace skills and apply them to the required workplace experience. Students work towards earning unit badges and workplace skills certificate from Essential Education throughout the course. |
| BOFF 260 Professional Development | Spring | 2 | This course is designed to connect classroom education with career experiences related to specific post-graduation goals. Topics such as job search trends, networking, professional documents, portfolios, interview techniques and professionalism will be covered in great detail. The goal of the course is to develop students’ career readiness so they feel confident marketing their skills after graduation and have concrete materials that will allow them to stand out amongst other job seekers. Students will leave the course with interview experience, a LinkedIn profile, and a complete professional portfolio. |