Hey, can anyone with a coop placement tell me how the process is, and if there are a lot of companies hiring from mac? I am specifically interested in Engineering Physics (Nuclear). Do you have to look for jobs yourself and submit them to the Co-op Services? Do first year students work?

I have heard that the coop program is horrible here, which I find unfortunate. I'm hoping to hear someone's first hand account of how it really is. I am looking to find placements in the energy sector.

Many thanks to anyone who can help me out.

You have to take the Eng 1EE0 co-op class. The next possible one is in April, but you probably won't be able to do a co-op this summer because it's late.

You have to take the class (8 hours total) before you are able to access the co-op listings on OSCAR (where companies post co-op jobs for Mac students).

You should still do the class, then you won't have to take it next year (if you're going into Eng. Phys, it'll be one less thing you have to take).

As far as hearing about co-op being "terrible", I'm not sure that has any merit. They help you out in the ECCS office quite a bit, but there is always some manual work involved. Quite a bit (making cover letters customized for each employer, etc.). As far a price, McMaster's co-op is the cheapest in Ontario among other large universities.

Thanks you for your response.

I'm a grade 12 student so for now I don't need to worry about the classes.

Are you in a co-op program right now? If you are can you tell me more about it: type of experiece, keeping a job there, different employers. It would be great if you could tell me everything I'd need to know about Mac's co-op before I make my choice of university.

Also can you only apply to the jobs from the OSCAR system or can you find companies oustide of that and have ECCS approve of it?

Thank you very much again.

I'm in engineering 1 co-op. honestly, I don't find co-op office here help us a lot. There aren't many postings in the system, especially for 1st year. The system here works like this: They give you postings, you contact the company. They give little, if not none, help in the process. Sure they have a course that teaches writing a resume and cover letter, job search skills, etc. I had sent 6 resumes to different companies and the one that is an on campus job replied me (consider the bad economy situation too). So there is a big chance that one can't get a co-op placement.

One thing good is Mac has the cheapest co-op fee in Ontario. And if you don't get a placement, you pay part of the fee only. (They just increased the fee for September) As compare to some university, you pay all the fees in 1st year and they get it no matter you get placements or not.

Nevertheless, Mac Eng is still an amazing program to study.

Thanks mike.

My main interest is doing co-op, and it dissapoints me to hear that it is hard to get a co-op placement. What are you going to do in years 2-4 in terms of co-op if you can't find a placement? I assumed that if you enrolled for eng I co-op they'd have to put you somewhere. Can you look for jobs not in the system?

Originally Posted by nytrogyn

Thanks mike.

My main interest is doing co-op, and it dissapoints me to hear that it is hard to get a co-op placement. What are you going to do in years 2-4 in terms of co-op if you can't find a placement? I assumed that if you enrolled for eng I co-op they'd have to put you somewhere. Can you look for jobs not in the system?

You can always look for job elsewhere, as long as it is a engineering-related job.
Here at Mac, its not necessarily that you get a placement if you are enrolled in co-op and you can still get a co-op even you are not enrolled in co-op (provide all other requirements are met). I know its weird and doesn't sound good, but that's how it works.

You can choose to work either three 4-months term (total of 12 months), a 4-mons and 8mons, 12-mons term and 16-mons term. I planned to do three 4-mons terms. But since I might probably not get a placement this summer, I can choose to work 4-mons and 8-mons. (and graduate 4-mons later)

Thanks again mike. I hope you get the placement you want.

Hopefully, when I'm in the program if I get ahead of the game and look for jobs elsewhere I can get a placement.

I just called the ECCS and they told me Bruce Power was a big co-op placement for Mac students. Do you know anyone who got placement there and what specifically they look for in a student?

It really depends. It's hard for first years to get a job since we don't know anything related to our field since we aren't taught it. However, it is possible to get a job. I got one for this summer and it's engineering (civil) related and i'm in first year. Networking is key in finding a job in first year due to the reason above.

Everybody in Mac engineering can do co-op but you need 12 months work experience in order to have the "Co-op" designation on your degree. If you don't get the 12 months, you don't get the designation but the hours which you do work as a co-op student if you are in co-op will be marked on your transcript.

The courses are to basically to teach you all the steps (resume writing and stuff like that). Job searching is on your own either through Mcmaster's system (OSCAR) or on your own. Whatever job you find on your own must be approved (engineering work) in order for it to be counted as co-op. Jobs can be put on the OSCAR system every day depending on when employers put them on.

Thanks cowcow. It's good to know you got a job your first year. Do you know anything about the UROP program? Also, what elective courses did you take for your first year? Does ENGINEER 1EE0 count as one of the electives?

And if I apply for jobs outside of the system, how does that work? Do I send my resume to a bunch of companies with a cover letter stating that I am interested in co-op? Do companies prefer hiring co-op students because it's cheaper?

Originally Posted by nytrogyn

Thanks cowcow. It's good to know you got a job your first year. Do you know anything about the UROP program? Also, what elective courses did you take for your first year? Does ENGINEER 1EE0 count as one of the electives?

And if I apply for jobs outside of the system, how does that work? Do I send my resume to a bunch of companies with a cover letter stating that I am interested in co-op? Do companies prefer hiring co-op students because it's cheaper?

It's cheaper as long as the co-op office know you are working with them.

You simply send resumes to whatever company. If they hire you, you have to inform the co-op office, and give them a job description showing that is a engineering related job. If they approves it, you are good to work. Some companies don't know it is cheaper to hire a co-op, so you can tell them about this.

Engineer 1E00 doesn't count as an elective. The last number in the course code is the number of units its worth (which in this case it isnt worth any). IN first year you need 6 units of elective, usually 2 courses

wow, i never knew this, thanks for your help!