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Invest in co-op. 

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Co-op sharpens your organization’s competitive edge

It gives you first dibs on the best and brightest.  

It brings in talent with diverse backgrounds and fresh perspectives. 

It opens up mentoring and leadership opportunities for your employees. 

It helps your current teams flex and shapes your future workforce. 

A smart move

95%

of students do at least one co-op

54%

of students receive a job offer from
co-op employer

What our employers are saying

hassan-headshot

Hassan Dashti, PhD

Center for Genomic Medicine, Mass General Research Institute

“It’s truly been a pleasure working with Northeastern University’s co-op program, and I strongly recommend to all researchers.”

Jessica Alfoldi

VP of Research and Development, Biobot Analytics

“Northeastern University’s co-op program has been a big asset for Biobot. We love the enthusiasm, work ethic, and expertise that the students bring to our organization, and can’t wait to bring on more! We have even permanently hired staff that we first met as Northeastern co-ops—a win-win all around.”

Mark Anderman, PhD

Principle Investigator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard University

“It has been thrilling to see many students begin to figure out their specific passions for domains of science or medicine through hands-on experience in our lab.”

Get in touch

Join companies like these as part of our 3,800+ co-op employer network

How to set up a co-op program  

The process is simple and collaborative from day one. You get the talent you need. Our students get the experience they want. We handle the rest. 

1. Identify roles and opportunities 
  • Work with our business development team to identify your talent needs and where they align with what we offer. This typically takes just one short meeting—in person or online. 
  • Once we’ve identified the need, you’ll be assigned the right co-op coordinator who can help develop and scope the job and guide you in selecting a strong on-site mentor/supervisor. 
  • Your co-op coordinator is your point of contact at the university for everything related to your co-op process going forward. 
2. Post your position(s)
  • Create an account on our online job platform, NUworks. You’ll get an approval and then you can post your jobs.   
  • Log on as often as you want to manage applicants. Company accounts are available, too, if you want more than one person from your organization to have access. 
3. Participate in recruiting events
  • Northeastern hosts regular information sessions, class or club visits, career fairs, and on-site interviews. Your co-op coordinator will keep you informed on dates and times. 
  • Participation is a win-win. Students attend because they want the best co-op. And you get in-person access to the top candidates and increase your brand awareness. 
4. Interview candidates
  • Co-op simulates the real job-search process. It’s not a match-making service. When you find a strong candidate, reach out directly, schedule an interview (in person, on campus, or virtual), and follow up with the candidate.  
  • Note: Our students are well prepared and professional. They take co-op prep courses, get coached on resume-writing and interviewing, and are highly motivated. They don’t just want to land a co-op, they want to excel. 
5. Make your offer
  • You’ll make offers directly to the candidates, as well as negotiate pay and details. Once your candidate accepts your offer, you should send an official offer letter to your Northeastern co-op coordinator for record-keeping (some students will need the letter to get credit). 
  • We recommend giving students 48 – 72 hours to accept or reject an offer. Know that once a student accepts an offer, they’re committed. 
6. Review learning goals and objectives
  • Students are responsible for developing their own goals and objectives with input from their co-op coordinator during the first three weeks of the co-op.  
  • Students will review those objectives with the co-op supervisor assigned to them and adjust as needed. 
7. Co-op day-to-day
  • First and foremost: co-op students are on the job to perform and contribute meaningfully to your teams. Your role is to provide mentoring and guidance toward that end.  
  • Students are responsible for tracking learning goals with their co-op coordinator. They do that through written reflection assignments and check-ins as needed. 
8. Final assessment
  • The one requirement of the supervisor outside of managing the student day-to-day is the final assessment.  
  • You’ll receive an assessment form through NUWorks three weeks prior to your co-op’s end date.  
  • The supervisor will meet with the student to discuss performance assessment and offer professional guidance. Submit the assessment by the student’s last day. 
  • Future co-op positions can be developed with the help of your coordinator or our business development team, depending on the need and scope. 

Unlock the power of co-op to meet your talent needs.
Simple. Supported. Results. No one does co-op like we do. We’re ready to help.

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