Co-operative Education and Internship Program

The Co-operative Education and Internship Program (Co-op/Internship) is the primary vehicle through which federal organizations can recruit post-secondary students for a four-month work term. Students must be enrolled in a PSC-approved Co-op or Internship program.

Co-op is a great way for you to give students the hands-on experience they need while putting their energy, enthusiasm and skills to work for your organization.

Co-op is a program in which classroom instruction is alternated with semesters of work placement related to the field of study.

Internship is a supervised, on-the-job training assignment designed to give students the skills and knowledge required for entry into a trade or profession.

To hire a Co-op student, all you have to do is search the "PSC-approved programs" to choose a program and/or educational institution, consult the school’s Co-op/Internship co-ordinators to help determine whether there is a good match with your hiring requirements and post your opportunity with the selected program in each educational institution selected. You and/or your Human Resources Advisor then review the applications that are referred to you and select those to be interviewed.

Related links

• Student eligibility
• Hiring process
• Co-op/Internship re-employment information

Student eligibility

The Co-op/Internship Program is only available to post-secondary students.
To be eligible, students must:

• Be pursuing full-time studies at the academic institution in which they are presently enrolled; and
• Be enrolled in a PSC-approved Co-op or Internship program.

Citizenship

In keeping with section 39(1)(c) of the Public Service Employment Act, preference must be given to Canadian citizens. Accordingly, a work term must be offered to a Canadian who meets the student requirements before the position can be offered to a non-Canadian student.

Hiring process

To hire a Co-op/Internship student, managers must:

• Search the PSC-approved programs to choose a program and/or an educational institution. Including several institutions in the area of selection is encouraged wherever possible so that the search results in a reasonable pool of qualified candidates. Consult the Co-op/Internships co-ordinator (listed on the approved programs search results page) at each institution.
• Post the opportunity with the selected program(s). Each educational institution has its own procedures for hiring a Co-op/Internship student; the Co-op/Internship co-ordinator will provide this to you. For convenience, you can use the PSC's Co-operative Education/Internship Program Request for Referrals form.

*Forms are available in alternate formats upon request.

Students will see federal public service Co-op/Internship placement opportunities on their campus notice boards or in the Co-op/Internship placement office. To be eligible, students must be registered with their academic institution's Co-op and/or Internship program.

Re-employment information

Managers may re-employ Co-op or Internship students in either another Co-op or Internship assignment or under the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP).

Re-employment into another Co-op or Internship placement

When an additional work term is required as a condition of graduation, Co-op and Internship students may be re-employed into the same or a similar assignment by the same or by another organization. Prior approval by the student's academic institution is required.

Re-employment into a FSWEP position

1. Submit an FSWEP Request for Re-employment to your local PSC district/regional office, with the following documentation:
   • a copy of the Letter of Agreement between the department/agency and the student's academic institution (or equivalent); and
   • a copy of the most recent Letter of Offer between the department/agency and the student.
2. The PSC will then search the FSWEP inventory to identify the student(s) to be re-employed. Please note that each student you wish to re-employ must be registered in the current FSWEP inventory in order for the re-employment to be processed. The PSC then refers the identified student(s) to the hiring organization.
3. Contact the referred student(s).
4. Determine the student's rate of pay based on the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students.
5. Make the offer of employment.
6. Complete the Referral Results Form (which is sent to you together with the confirmation), indicating the student(s) re-employed, and submit it to the PSC.