Northeastern co-op is about connections and helping students discover avenues to intellectual and personal growth: adding depth to classroom studies, providing exposure to career paths and opportunities, and inspiring students to delve deeper, sharpen their focus, and pursue greater academic challenges. With these connections, students continue to gain valuable work experience and develop a broader view of the world in which they live and work.
Listed are examples of the positive learning outcomes of co-op and how it helps shape the Northeastern student and his/her future:
- The student develops the ability to interact effectively with other professionals/clients/consumers and deal effectively with cultural and ethnic diversity issues
- The student develops the ability to communicate, organize ideas and information in writing in a clear and understandable manner appropriate to the listener and situation
- The student develops the ability to work effectively in groups toward common goals and needs and to offer thoughtful analysis
- The student develops the ability to identify and evaluate problems and recommend solutions to problems, and generate and evaluate the elements of a logical argument, to recognize and differentiate facts, illusions, assumptions and hidden assumptions, to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant
- The student develops the ability to exhibit professional behaviors in the workplace and understand and adhere to ethical standards
- The student develops the ability to be effective in optimizing time/resources made available to them by the employer for their assigned tasks and projects
- The student develops the ability to identify any sources of stress while on co-op and to seek support to develop effective coping behaviors
- The student develops the ability to provide direction/guidance/training to motivate others and to manage conflict
- The student develops the ability to achieve the knowledge and skills of the organization’s particular field of discipline
- The student develops the ability to learn and use technology that is utilized by the relevant industry or organization
- The student develops the ability to self-assess and self-correct, to identify needs and sources of learning, and to continually seek new fundamentals of knowledge and understanding
- The student develops the ability to seek out and respond to feedback from supervisor, and to incorporate it into their daily performance
- The student develops the ability to fulfill commitments and to be accountable for actions and outcomes
- The student experiences enhanced academic motivation and goals, and gains increased confidence in completing academic studies as well as increased self confidence in the workplace
- The student identifies career/professional plans/options
- The student develops professional/technical skills related to his or her career
- The student gains increased awareness/understanding of the link between classroom concepts and work/world applications
