3000 Students per Semester 1800 Employers 55 Co-op Faculty Coordinators, Aligned by Majors

1. Welcome!Co-op Faculty CoordinatorMechanical and Industrial EngineeringCollege of EngineeringKaren KelleyFaculty Co-op Coordinator Northeastern University

2. Continuous Reflection PracticesEnhancing Career Development from Sophomore to Senior YearMechanical, Industrial & Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs

3. Northeastern Co-op Overview • 3000 Students per Semester • 1800 Employers • 55 Co-op Faculty Coordinators, Aligned by Majors • All Majors Participate • Program is Over 100 Years Old

4. Preparation Reflection Activity The Cooperative Education Learning Model • Preparation • Activity • Reflection Integrating Cooperative Education and Academics

5. Typical Five-Year Co-op/Class Semester Schedule Fall Spring Summer I Summer II Freshman Class Class Vacation Vacation Sophomore Class Class Vacation Co-op Middler Co-op Class Class Co-op Junior Co-op Class Class Co-op Senior Co-op Class Academic and Co-op Schedule • Length of semesters: The academic calendar for full-time undergraduate and most graduate programs consists of 15-week semesters in the fall and spring and two 7 1/2-week half-sessions in the summer.Semester calendar:Fall semester runs from early September to mid-December; spring semester runs from early January to late April; summer sessions run from early May to mid-June and early July to mid-August

6. Stages of Continuous Reflectionat Northeastern Students Complete Three 6 Month Co-ops during the 5-Year Bachelor of Science Program • Sophomore: Preparation – Intro to Co-op Course • Sophomore/Middler: After First Co-op – Reflection Seminar • Middler/Junior: After Second Co-op – Reflection Seminar • Junior/Senior: After Third Co-op – Professional Isssues Course

7. 1. Sophomore: Preparation Learning Objectives- Introduction to Co-op: • Communicate interests, skills, needs and future plans to their Co-op Coordinator • Understand the value of their previous work experiences and transferable skills • Assist students to conduct self evaluation of their past work behaviors and develop an understanding of how they may improve • Summarize skills and verbally communicate to students mock employers/future employers • Identify and describe their skills and work values and how they relate to their career choices

8. 1. Sophomore: Preparation Implementation: • Create a resume by reflecting on previous experiences • Discover and summarize skills & values using inventories • Listen to upper-class presentations in Professional Issues course • Write career goals • Evaluate feedback from upper-class students through mock interviews • Create Professional References • Develop Mentee/networking relationship with upper-class Professional Issues students

9. Sophomore: After First Co-op Learning Objectives: • Allow students to develop skills necessary to evaluate professional skills and accomplishments • Help students assess and summarize their previous work experience • Develop a broader understanding of their chosen field • Advance communication/presentation skills • Compare and critique their work performance and career interests with that of their peers • Assist students to develop a realization of their own career potential

10. 2. Sophomore: After First Co-op Implementation: • Students required to present at Reflection Seminars to peers • Summarize their organization and where they fit • Describe their chief accomplishments/responsibilities at work • Utilize the self assessment form to verbally summarize improved skills with specific examples • Begin developing a professional resume

11. 3. Middler/Junior: After Second Co-op Learning Objectives - Professional Issues Course: • Reflect on work and academic experiences as a whole • Lead students to make connections between their past work experiences, academics, interests to arrive at conclusions regarding their future • Develop an understanding of their skills, talents and value they bring to a job • Develop ability to summarize experiences, both verbal and written • Recognize career growth and progress • Develop mentoring skills and mentoring relationships • Further develop their job search skills

12. 3. Middler/Junior: After Second Co-op Implementation - Professional Issues Course: • Present previous co-op experience to sophomore Intro to Co-op classes • Prepare for and deliver “Elevator Speech” to potential employer • Create a well written “professional summary” of previous work experience • Conduct a targeted a job search by researching & evaluating potential “dream” job descriptions and judge qualifications • Revise and improve professional resume to include a written “professional summary”, customized to their “dream job” • Compose a convincing cover letter applying to their “dream job” • Verbally present a “professional summary” based on their “dream job”

13. 3. Middler/Junior: After Second Co-op Implementation, cont.: • Conduct a mock interviews of sophomores ( Intro to Co-op ) students • Reflect on personal interviewing experience • Reflect on personal work experience to describe to candidate • Develop a list of criteria or skills most important for success at your firm (utilize self-evaluation and the skills highlighted in Reflection Presentation) • Identify with current sophomores and recognize career growth and individual achievements through co-op • Mentoring relationships developed as a result of mock interviews

14. Junior/Senior: After Third Co-op(Seeking Full-time Employment) • Learning Objectives: • Apply job search skills learned in class • Continue to use reflection practices as part of their • professional/career development • Encourage independence • Implementation: • Utilize skills developed in Professional Issues class • Transition to Career Services • Independent job search/networking

15. Continuous Reflection Moving In, Moving Through, and Moving On…