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The CO-op Advantage: Notes from A national Panel SuRvey AleX Usher Higher education strategy associates. University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario – September 12th, 2012. Data Sources. Some data comes from the annual Globe and Mail survey (30-38,000/year, all institutions)
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The CO-op Advantage: Notes from A national Panel SuRveyAleX UsherHigher education strategy associates University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario – September 12th, 2012
Data Sources • Some data comes from the annual Globe and Mail survey (30-38,000/year, all institutions) • Most comes from HESA’s CanEd student panel; 8,000 and 10,000 members from across Canada, surveyed 8 times per year.
Co-op student in CanEd sample Varies between 8-12% of total 27% Each in Business and Engineering 19% Science, 15% Arts 8% Health, 5% Education
Understanding the co-op difference • Co-op students differ from general population not just in the type of program but also in distribution of field of study • Need to distinguish between differences driven by program and those driven by field of study
Demographics • Co-op skews male (53% vs. 40%) and visible minority (28% vs. 19%) • No difference in socio-economic profile • No difference on most personality traits • Significantly more likely to be attending PSE for career reasons; much less likely to be interested in grad school
Choosing an institution • Much more likely to say they chose a school based on employment considerations (41% vs 25%) • Twice as likely as other students to say choice of institution influenced by a teacher (20% vs. 11%) • Less likely care about campus size (45% vs. 32%) • Less likely to expect to work independently (44% vs. 59%) or interact with teachers (24% vs. 30%)
Satisfaction • More likely to think their school has a sense of community • Slightly higher levels of satisfaction, holding FoS constant • Slightly more likely to recommend their school to others
Future Work and Finances • More confident about finding work and repaying debt • Significantly more likely to have entrepreneurial ambitions (41% vs 25%) • Attracted to low-cost jurisdictions • Work-life balance aspirations similar to other students
Summer Work • 65% work for a new employer in the summer (vs. 42%) • Wage premium varies from 30-80%, depending on FoS. • Avg = $720/week (vs. $423/week) • Work far more likely to be related to FoS
The Work-Learning Experience • Jobs which combine school and work thought to be far more rewarding than other kinds of work • But to what extent is it co-op, specifically, which is adding value? Are there other kinds of work where students can get similar kinds of rewards?
“My Field of Student was Best Possible for My Job” – Latest Unstructured Work Experiences
Work Has Positive Impact on Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills
Work Provides Better Understanding of Concepts Learned in Class and their Real-World Application
Work Improved Knowledge and Technical Skills in Areas Related to Field of Study
Work Provided a Better Understanding of General Workplace Culture, Norms and Behavior
Work Gave Me A Better Understanding of What I Want to Do With My Life
Work Will Make It Easier to Find a Job in My Field of Study After Graduation
THANK YOU! Alex Usher: ausher@higheredstrategy.com http://higheredstrategy.com/blog/