COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Co-Op and Placement Information
Mission Statement
At GNB Voc–Tech, we are dedicated to providing our students with valuable real-world experience through our Co-Op and Placement programs. These initiatives allow qualified students to engage in work opportunities related to their chosen fields while attending school. Our students benefit from a structured six-day shop cycle, alternating between academic learning and practical application. Through our Placement program, students receive essential training in their respective fields, while the Co-Op program offers both apprenticeship experience and paid employment, ensuring a holistic educational experience that prepares them for future success.
Employers Looking to Hire …
For questions about our Co-op Program
Contact:
Henry DeGrace
Cooperative Education Coordinator
e: henry.degrace@gnbvt.edu
t: 508.998.3321 x 764
f: 508.998.4642
Cheryl Methia
Placement Facilitator
e: cheryl.methia@gnbvt.edu
t: 508.998.3321 x 651
f: 508.998.4642
The Co-Op program works with cooperating companies that hire students as regular employees at pay scales comparable to those of other entry-level people performing similar tasks.
Co-Op is a State approved, work-based learning program. Employers are required to pay the students, but have no further monetary responsibilities. They must provide a safe working environment, supervision by a person with journeyman status, and be covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Students are evaluated each cycle by the employers, and are further evaluated by the Co-Op Coordinator and the employer each quarter. The Co-Op Coordinator is responsible for qualifying work sites for safety and work content, and will conduct regular site visits.
During the cycle the student is normally assigned to shop, the student will instead report to his/her cooperative employer.
The Vocational Technical Education Regulations 603 CMR 4.03 (7) contain the standards for cooperative education. The Cooperative Education Coordinator has the main responsibility for ensuring that the standards are met. The individual technical teacher and Cooperative Education Coordinator are responsible for ensuring that:
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- Student is capable of doing the work required by the employer
- Review work required with the employer before student is placed
- Complete a Safety Site Checklist on each worksite
- Student is passing all Chapter 74 Shop and Related requirements
- Student has a grade of 70 or better in all areas
- Obtain a co-op cycle report at the end of every academic cycle to ensure that the student is meeting grade requirements
- Evaluate student performance with periodic visits to the work site
- Student is working a minimum of 36 hours in a 6 day cycle
- The students competency list is reviewed with the employer
- Student evaluation form is filled out by the employer and returned to the co-op coordinator upon students return to school for the academic cycle
- Student is working at a site that provides the opportunity to develop technical and employability skills not acquirable in a school-based setting but acquirable in a work-based setting.
- Student continues to meet all requirements to remain on co-op
- If for any reason the student is terminated from their position, the school has the right to determine the appropriateness of that student obtaining another co-op position
