Work-Based Learning is an integral part of the total secondary school program, which recognizes the value of supervised work as a lea
Summary of Co-Op
• Student works an average of 10 hours a week
Students under 18 years of age may work 24 hours per week while school is in session
Most co-op students work 10-20 hours per week
• Student is paid minimum wage:
Student can be paid $7.25 (federal min. wage) until 18 years old; (optional 90 training wage between $4.25 and $7.25) when student turns 18 Michigan minimum wage of $7.40 must be paid; increasing to $8.15 on September 1.
• Employer must have Workers Compensation and Liability Insurances
• Students under 18 may not work alone for extended periods (i.e.: an entire shift)
• Work experience is worth 2 courses of school credit per term for student; student receives grade
• Student released from school for 2 course hours to increase work availability
Students available to work mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends
Mornings: as early as 6 a.m.-10 a.m.; 7:30-10:30; 8:30-11:30; etc.
Afternoons: 12:30 p.m.-Variable; students under 18 can only work until 10:30 p.m.
Student work schedule is up to employer and student
When a business says that they are willing to consider a student, I send resumes and transcripts of interested students. Then, you would interview any students that you wanted. Finally, you would decide if you were interested in hiring any of the candidates. At that time we would sign a training agreement. After a student is hired, I would visit every 9 weeks to make sure everything was going as planned. If at any time, you had a problem, I would work with you in solving it. Bay City Public schools usually has over 100 co-ops a year working at various businesses in the tri city area; and this has been a wonderful experience for everyone.
Reasons to hire a co-op student:
• Co-op students are a source of new workers who are receptive to instruction and motivated
• Co-op applicants are pre-screened before being sent to employer for interview
• Studies have shown that employers retain a high percentage of co-op students after graduation
• The employer becomes a partner in selecting, instructing, and training young workers
• The employer has the assistance of the school in instructing and counseling the co-op student during the transition from school to the world of work.
• The hiring of co-op students promotes closer cooperation between the schools and the community
• The hiring of co-op students encourages graduates to remain in the Great Lakes Bay Region
• The hiring of co-op students promotes a more stable work force
• The co-op coordinator provides additional supervision assistance for your employee
• By using the co-op program, you will have a source of continuous, dependable part-time help
• Your new trainee will attract new customers from their friends and relatives
• Participating in the education of our local students will give you a feeling of civic pride
