Student employment is proving valuable program for the base
Gillian Tweed
Camosun College
February 18, 2008
The Department of National Defence has long embraced co-operative education as a valuable form of learning for post-secondary students. The partnership Camosun College shares with the DND provides many of co-op students, particularly those in the technology engineering programs, with the opportunity to apply their recently learned classroom skills in the work place. It’s not just of benefit to the student; it is also advantageous to the employer.
Students in the Electronics Engineering Technology program bring training in data communications, wide band FM systems, linear systems analysis, data acquisition, advanced circuit analysis, and microprocessor interfacing techniques. They have also been introduced to project management and are familiar with project specification and design techniques.
“The model of Camosun’s technology programs works to help us accomplish our goals, because the students we hire have a solid academic foundation backed by enthusiasm to gain practical experience,” says Miles McKinnon, Assistant Electrical Technical Officer at Fleet Maintenance Facility Cape Breton, adding that co-op students fulfill project needs that regular employees are unable to take on because of their demanding schedules.
He is supervisor to Kylee Lothrop, a co-op student in the Electronics Engineering Technology program, currently on her third work term with the ship repair unit. The Electronics Engineering Technology program provides students with the option of taking up to three work terms.
“The co-op program has helped by aiding us in re-hiring students who have previously worked for us, which reduces the total time we spend in training, and increases the time students spend on technical tasks,” says McKinnon.
Hiring a co-op student provides employers with a low risk opportunity to preview future employees that may in turn reduce costs of recruitment and training. Relationships between Camosun co-op and employers promote communication between the industry and the college, allowing program content to be tailored to better meet industry needs as feedback on the program is received.
In a nutshell, hiring a co-op student is a win-win situation for all.
For more information about co-op education and internships, visit Camosun College’s Co-op department website or email coop@camoson.bc.ca Find more information on the Camosun College engineering technology programs at Engineering Programs.
