TMU’s co-op program setting students up for career success
TMU co-op student Hailey Davidson poses for a photo next to a mining haul truck. Davidson spent eight months working at a mining company in British Columbia. Photo supplied by Hailey Davidson.
For fourth-year student Hailey Davidson, joining Toronto Metropolitan University’s co-op program meant more than just earning money and gaining work experience. Over the past three years, the sociology student has discovered a new passion, travelled to the other side of the country and gained self-confidence.
Davidson is one of about 4,500 students enrolled in TMU’s co-op program. The program matched students to job opportunities at more than 800 employers in the last year, and spans industries from health care to engineering.
Davidson recently completed an eight-month co-op work term in the human resources department of mining company Teck Resources in Elkford, British Columbia.
“I didn’t know anything about mining or about Elkford,” said Davidson. “I just always wanted to work in HR and with a sociology degree, I was thinking of ways I could pivot. I thought, ‘let me just gain some experience here’.”
The experience turned out to be a big inspiration for Davidson’s future plans. During her co-op work term she learned about the legal side of HR, connected with her company’s on-call lawyer and traveled to different parts of the province. She’s now planning to apply to law school in B.C. after she graduates.
Hailey Davidson’s employer helped pay for her move to Elkford, B.C., a town near the B.C.-Alberta border that is home to fewer than 3,000 people. Photo supplied by Hailey Davidson.
Preparing students for the workforce
Managed centrally by the Career, Co-op and Student Success Centre, co-op is open to students from 16 programs across the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Community Services, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science and the Faculty of Science. For students in the Ted Rogers School of Management, the Business Career Hub manages their co-op programs. For optional co-op programs, most students apply to join co-op after their first year of studies, then spend time preparing to enter the workforce.
Every co-op student starts their journey with the Co-op Career Ready Program where they learn about strength identification, skill development, labour market research, job search and networking strategies through interactive, online modules. Students also receive personalized coaching on their resumés and cover letters, practice with in-person and AI generated mock interviews and work through a series of other skill-building sessions. The peer advisor program allows new co-op students to connect and learn from senior students in their program or faculty who have valuable experience with the co-op program.
Angela Kim (Public Health ’19) worked as a co-op peer advisor for students in the occupational health and safety and public health programs.
“I wanted to do something to contribute back to the co-op program because of how valuable it was for me,” said Kim. “I also wanted to start networking with other students because in occupational health and safety and in public health, the person next to you could be your boss in 10 years.”
As a peer advisor, Kim met with students during weekly group sessions and individually. She shared her personal experience working in the field and provided feedback on students’ resumés and cover letters.
Alumna Angela Kim’s job as a peer advisor helped her gain leadership experience and developed her communication skills. Photo supplied by Angela Kim.
Now a public health inspector for York Region, Kim participated in the annual Winter Co-op Symposium last month as a co-op alumna and an employer partner. The virtual event brought students together to build community and connect with industry professionals like Kim. The symposium included a presentation on workplace rights and program-specific panels on real-world interview coaching.
Beyond the Co-op Career Ready Program and co-op symposia, students have access to support throughout their co-op journey and on every work term. This includes coaching on how to achieve success during their experience, advice and support on navigating diverse work environments or asking for accommodations.
The benefits of co-op
During her first work term with the Jays Care Foundation, Davidson discovered that she did not enjoy working with children. This is one of the benefits of co-op, said Taryn De Ruyter, manager of career integrated learning at the Career, Co-op & Student Success Centre.
“By trying out co-op roles in different companies and/or industries, students can identify their passions and their strengths. They can figure out what they liked and also what they didn't like about their work term experiences. This helps them to effectively navigate future opportunities,” said De Ruyter.
At Davidson’s next co-op work term with the mining company, she discovered both her passion for human resources and law, as well as the type of environment she enjoys working in.
“I loved my department,” said Davidson, who learned about HR on the job. “They were open to teaching me a lot of things and they really showed me exactly what HR could be. We had so many different responsibilities and it made me want to dive in deeper.”
Davidson also had the chance to apply what she learned in her Indigenous studies and statistics classes to her work.
“We're giving students a unique opportunity to integrate their academic studies with meaningful, full-time, paid work experience,” said De Ruyter. “Students typically complete three or more paid work terms that are about 12 to 16 weeks each. That helps them to gain a year or more of professional experience before graduation.”
Setting students up for future success
Angela Kim poses for a photo in front of a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)–a machine used to excavate tunnels–during a co-op work term at the Ashbridges Bay Water Treatment Plant. She had previous experience with tunnels on the Eglinton Crosstown transit project during her co-op work term. Photo supplied by Angela Kim.
Both as a student and after graduating, Kim saw how her co-op work term directly helped her land future jobs. Her first work term in the manufacturing industry gave her experience and a competitive edge when applying for future co-op jobs.
The network of professional contacts Kim gained also became an invaluable asset after she graduated. When her student public health inspector contract ended, Kim contacted one of her former co-op employers to see if they were hiring. That call helped her land a full-time, permanent position.
“If you are on the fence about joining co-op–because a lot of students don't want to stay in school for an extra year–I say the extra year with co-op is more valuable than graduating in four years. Experience-wise, you gain professional skills and learn valuable life lessons. Plus, you can’t really put a value on the networking opportunities.”
For students considering the program, the first step is attending a Co-op information session. The 2025 co-op admissions application period runs from May 1 - 25, 2025.
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