Cooperative Education Preparatory Programme II 1 Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education Preparatory Programme II 1

Cooperative Education Preparatory Programme II • Introduction • The Interview Selection Process • Employers View • Learning Outcomes • Questions 2

• • • Schedule Of Activities 1 Prep Prog I CVs And Apps Submitted March/April May CVs Updated July Letters to Employers Responses to Letters Prep Prog II Interviews Begin… Placements Begin… Alternative Prog Begins Reports Submitted July -- Ongoing Sept January Feb Oct 3

COOP DIVISION 4

COOP DIVISION q LOCATION q BLOCK E, LEVEL O, ROOM EO-007 q OPEN FOR QUERIES q. Monday, 2. 30 pm – 4. 00 pm. q. Tuesday to Friday, 11. 30 am – 12. 30 pm and 2. 30 pm – 4. 00 pm q. Monday – Friday 1. 00 to 1. 30 pm to collect interview details only. q ONLINE NOTICEBOARD http: //www. ul. ie/coop/noticeboard/ 5

Support & Advice for Students with Disabilities • I am really worried about getting organised for Coop • Do I tell an employer about an illness or a disability. How and when do I disclose? • I am concerned about physical access to interviews Please contact Careers Support Service, E 0019 061 213107 6

COOP PLACEMENT DATES • Monday 4 th January to Friday 3 rd September 2010 • Monday 24 th May 2010 to Friday 21 st January 2011 • Course specific dates next slide 7

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME JANUARY - SEPTEMBER 2010 - 2010/2011 SCHEDULE JANUARY-SUMMER 2010 (3 rd year students) Business Studies/Business & Language Accounting & Finance Economics & Finance Marketing Human Resource Management Risk Management & Insurance Law & Accounting Economics & Mathematical Sciences Financial Mathematics Multimedia & Computer Games Development Applied Computing & Network Technologies Engineering Science Manufacturing Systems (2 nd year students) Applied Languages Arts (Joint Honours) Economics & Sociology European Studies History Politics Sociology & Social Studies International Insurance & European Studies Languages & Cultural Studies New Media & English Psychology & Sociology Equine Science Certificate English & History Irish & New Media Production Management MAY 2010 -JANUARY 2011 Product Design & Technology Pharmaceutical & Industrial Chemistry Industrial Biochemistry Environmental Science Health & Safety Food Science & Health Applied Physics Biomedical & Advanced Materials Sport & Exercise Sciences Equine Science B. Sc Wood Science & Technology Construction Management & Engineering (3 rd year students) Aeronautical Engineering Biomedical Engineering Computer Aided Engineering & Design Computer Engineering Electronic Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Mechanical Engineering Robotic Engineering Computer Systems Digital Media Design Politics & International Relations* Journalism & New Media* Irish Music & Dance Modern Languages (ELT) Law & European Studies Law Plus* Public Administration Voice & Dance* Music, Media & Performance Technology . *Denotes new course for 2010 8

The Coop Cycle CV circulation - interviews Complete Pre-Coop skills assessment form CV submission Start You Coop placement here Preparatory Programme Complete Post-Coop Skills assessment form Start here Submit Coop Report 9

Cooperative Education Credits may also be gained in the following manner: 1. Placement Exemption. Students with relevant previous work experience 2. Own Placement. Students arranging their own Coop- subject to approval Students seeking either of the above must advise the Coop Office and complete the appropriate forms 10

Coop Ground Rules; Help us to Help You … • Notify us immediately if you have changed your major option. • If you are unavailable for any period between now and December 5 th, please let us know. • If organising your own placement you should have told us by now, if not do so straight away. • You need to check the online notice board daily, if you have an interview you must collect the details from the Coop office (EO 007). 11

Help us to Help You … • Preparation : Consult Interview Resources suggested, look at the company website, read the Coop Report of previous students in the company. • You must accept the first job offer you received. • Allow us time to work on your behalf to secure interviews, therefore you cannot find out where your CV has been sent before Week 5. • Your placement period is January 5 th to August 28 th, it is expected that you work for this full period of time. • Before you start your placement you must complete the Pre Coop Skills Assessment. 12

Help us to Help You … 1. On the job you should comply with any reasonable requests from your employer and follow their work directions to you. 2. Take the time and get to know the Company’s rules and regulations especially restrictions on the use of email, internet or telephone. Also Sick Leave and attendance policy. 3. You will accrue annual leave during your placement (if in Ireland), use it wisely. If you need to finish before your contractual end date you can only due so by using your annual leave. 4. You will be assigned a Faculty Visitor, they contact you or your supervisor directly to make the arrangements for this visit. 5. At the end of your placement, complete the Post Co. Op Skills Assessment Form and finalise your Coop Report. 13

Preparing for Interview • Seminars on Interview Skills – Applications & Interviews: 28 Sept @ 6. 30 in DG 016 – CV & Interview Tips: 7 Oct @ 6. 30 in C 1063 – Interview Skills: 20 Oct @ 6. 30 in C 1063 • Careers Website: www. ul. ie/careers – Link to Destinations website • • Work Experience – video clips of UL students & Coop employers Interviews Careers & Employers And much more 14

Careers Resources for Coop • Call into the Careers Information Room E 0019 – – – – ‘Using your UL degree’ handouts & on Careers website Free copies of career booklets, employer directories, etc Career information files for each course Handouts on Applications & Interviews Selection of reference books for loan DVDs on interview skills 4 PCs for student use • Open: 10. 00 -1. 00 & 2. 30 – 4. 00 15

Upcoming Events International Preparatory Programme Look out for posters and emails. The UL Open Days October 14 th and 15 th, Interviews will be held on these days. The Careers Fair UL Sports Arena - 16 th October from 12. 00 to 04. 00 pm 16

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Employer Expectations • Knowledge of Subject • Enthusiasm • Interest in Business • Accuracy • Basic Computer Skills • Punctuality • Language Skills • Interpersonal Skills • Driving Licence • Professional Approach 18

Cooperative Education Placement Work Situations • Know the Practices • Your Job • Your Work Location • Your Supervisor • Hours Of Work • Meal Breaks • Safety Procedures • Exposure To Many Tasks 19

How Coop Is Assessed… 20

Coop Documentation … Before you start your placement you must complete the Pre Coop Skills Assessment. • Basic Work Skills • Communication Skills • Problem Solving Skills • Interpersonal/Teamwork Skills • Cultural Awareness • ICT Skills • Organisational Awareness http: //www. ul. ie/coop/students/learning_during_coop_howdoi. shtml#howdoi 21

Three Elements to the Assessment of the Placement: • Assessment by visiting Academic • Employer Evaluation • Cooperative Education Report 22

Assessment by Visiting Academic • The visiting academic meets with the Student and the Supervisor • He/ She then submits a written report 23

Employers Evaluation • • • Ability to Learn Reading/Writing/Communication Skills Listening & Oral Communication Skills Creative Thinking & Problem Solving Skills Professional & Career Development Skills 24

Employers Evaluation Interpersonal & Teamwork Skills Organisational Effectiveness Skills Basic Work Habits Cultural Adaptation ( International Placements) • Professional Skills • • 25

Cooperative Education Report Guidelines Your report must adhere to the following structure 1. Summery of Placement ( min. 1 page) 2. Brief history of the company (min 1 page) 3. Structure of the organisation and student’s department (min 1 page) 4. Student’s main responsibilities min 2 pages) 5. Opportunities for Learning during Coop (min 4 pages) Details from the Coop website http: //www. ul. ie/coop/students/reportguidelines. shtml 26

Cooperative Education Report Guidelines • From the Learning During COOP section of the website, choose a minimum of four skills categories ( for Engineering & Computer Systems students this must include the Professional Skills category) and discuss the role of the COOP in developing those skills. You should write a minimum of one page per skill category. Use your Pre and Post COOP Skills Assessment Forms as a guide. • Log Book- This is compulsory for all Engineering students. • Appendices Copies of your completed Pre & Post COOP skills assessment Forms( Compulsory) Copies of reports, drawing, etc. produced for the company ( optional). Remember if you are reproducing any documents, you must ask permission from your employer to do so. 27

Learning During Co. Op • Pre Co. Op Assessment Form to be completed before going out on placement • Post Co. Op Assessment Form to be completed before the end of placement • You must submit your completed Pre Co. Op Assessment Form and your Post Co. Op Assessment Form as a compulsory appendix to your Co. Op Report • http: //www. ul. ie/coop/students/learning_duri ng_coop_howdoi. shtml#howdoi 28

The Interview 29

The Interview Remember: There are many different types of interview. One company’s interview may be very different to another. Keep this in mind at preparation stage. 30

The Interview 1 Preparation: • Confirm the time, location and day/date • Research the company before hand • Get your confirmation suit cleaned • Organise whatever transport is needed • Don’t take notes in the interview unless asked to. 31

The Interview 2 Arrive a few minutes beforehand to cool down and relax! Never speak with negative undertones. Eye contact is critical Speak clearly and with ease Look good (suit/blouse/tie etc) Practice your questions beforehand Don’t lounge on the chair/fiddle with your ponytail, fiddle with your ear-rings, watch etc. don’t tap on the desk • Ask relevant questions at the end of the session • • 32

The Interview 3 • • • Some Questions to prepare for at an interview: Tell me more about yourself…. . What do you know about our company…. . What do you look for in a job…… What do other people think of you……. What do you like least about yourself……. . What are you very good at……. . What are your goals……. Give me a specific example of that time…. Tell me about your achievements ( don’t give a key note speech on your sports career, remember to keep the question at the front of your mind). So-Sport, Personal, Skills, Academics……… 33

The Interview 4 Why do people fail interviews? : It is different in every case but here are some common reasons why people don’t do well: • Lack of preparation, no questions asked about Co. /Job • Over-emphasis on money, False info. , • Lack of eye contact, bad interview attire • Coming across as a know-it-all, Negative undertones 34

What should you know about an Employer? • • • Location / Size Background / History Core Activity / Key Functions Market Sector Recent or significant developments / Trends 35

Where to find Company Information • Company Website • Coop Office - Previous Coop reports (where available) • Internet UL careers website • UL Careers Service - Employer Links • Job Descriptions (where available) • http: //www. careerdirections. ie/Destinations • Destinations 36

Main Learning Outcomes • • Basic Work Habits Problem Solving Communication Skills Interpersonal / Teamwork Skills Cultural Awareness ICT Skills Professional Skills Organisational Awareness 37

Basic Work Habits Student are expected to: • Report to work as scheduled and on time. • Dress appropriately. • Comply with the company’s policy regarding computer usage. • Comply with the company’s telephone etiquette. • Be aware of the formal personal interactions in the organisation. • Show a positive and constructive attitude. • Respect company policy regarding absence from work. • Work within the relevant procedures. 38

Communication Skills To measure your communication skills level employers will be asked to rate the students’ ability to: • Listen to others in an effective and attentive manner. • Participate effectively in meetings and/or group settings • Develop the ability to read and understand written materials. • Learn to communicate ideas and concepts clearly, both verbally and in writing • Recognise the importance of non-verbal communication. 39

Cultural/International Awareness During their placement students should: • Be conscious of different cultural values • Be sensitive to others with different cultural backgrounds • Develop an understanding of cultural differences in the way businesses are run • Make an effort to communicate in the local language, where relevant • Work on their language fluency – both written and oral • Find out about graduate jobs in their target country 40

Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills During their Coop students should learn to: Support and contribute to a team environment. Assert themselves appropriately and effectively. Offer and receive constructive criticism Deal with a range of colleagues, including the difficult ones. • Build a good rapport with a wide range of people. • • 41

Problem Solving Skills During their placement students should: • Gather data to support the decision-making process for a defined problem • Be able to identify the key issues surrounding the problem • Be objective even though the student may feel emotional about a particular work issue or situation • Set out logical arguments and present clear recommendations 42

ICT Skills Students should use their coop to apply their existing skills and to develop new ones, they should: • Be able to use appropriate computer software products to assist with their daily work • Understand what IT products are available within the employing organisation and when it is appropriate to use them. • Understand the capability of any technology such as computer hardware and software, particularly industry standard systems. 43

Organisational Effectiveness Skills To develop key organisational effectiveness skills students should: • Seek to understand support the organisation’s mission and goals. • Fit in with the norms and expectations of behaviour. • Work within appropriate authority and decisionmaking channels • Be sensitive to organisational politics • Demonstrate a self-motivated attitude to work 44

Professional Skills Coop will enable students to demonstrate: • Evidence that students have applied the knowledge they acquired at UL in the areas of science, engineering, technology or mathematics. • An understanding of the process of problem resolution in the workplace • An understanding of the industry 45

In Summary What is expected of a Coop Student? The same behaviour as any other member of staff. What work is a Coop Student given? What you end-up doing is entirely up to you 46

Engineering & Science Specific 47

Cooperative Education Report Guidelines • From the Learning During COOP section of the website, choose a minimum of four skills categories ( for Engineering & Computer Systems students this must include the Professional Skills category) and discuss the role of the COOP in developing those skills. You should write a minimum of one page per skill category. Use your Pre and Post COOP Skills Assessment Forms as a guide. • Log Book- This is compulsory for all Engineering students. • Appendices Copies of your completed Pre & Post COOP skills assessment Forms( Compulsory) Copies of reports, drawing, etc. produced for the company ( optional). Remember if you are reproducing any documents, you must ask permission from your employer to do so. 48

Example of Log Book My Coop Report… Course Name Student Name: Padraic Gallagher ID: 5531844 2/8/09 -6/8/09 QUALITY ASSURANCE DEPT. , Analysis of failure of product by non destructive testing (See Appendix for method) Set up process test to define cause of failure ( Appendix for method). Continued to fill in SPC charts. Attended ISO 9001 audit meeting Supervisors Signature_____ Date: 6/8/09 ID Number 49

Example of Log Book My Coop Report… Course Name Student Name ID Number 8/8/09 -12/8/09 QUALITY ASSURANCE DEPT. , Continued with non destructive test analysis. Implemented failure test method on shop floor Conitnued to fill in SOC charts. Investigated Calibration methods required as part of ISO 9001. Supervised Line 7 production for half day Supervisors Signature_______ Date 12/8/09 50