<p>I am really confused about what to make of Waterloo's co-op program. I cannot afford Waterloo without the proceeds from Co-op earnings; however, as an international student in the financial crisis, I see little hope of finding good jobs. Is there any chance that I will land good jobs? Also: What is Waterloo's criteria for selecting applicants for their (best) Co-op jobs? Can I earn $10,000/yr on average through co-op "toil"?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your help.</p>
<p>P.s. There is no UWaterloo forum so</p>
<p>bumpITY
buMPIT
buMP</p>
<p>what is a coop program???</p>
<p>a co-opererative program, one in which u work one yr in the process of acquiring ur BSc to gain valuable work experience</p>
<p>v. popular in canada</p>
<p>a question answered by a question? I need a hero…</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I am not a Waterloo student, I am a McGill student in my final year.</p>
<p>Your goal of 10,000$ (gross, before tax) is not particularly “eye watering” but very much in norm with what a summer 4-month internship in Quebec will pay (in fact they pay a bit more) for a technical B.Sc/B.Eng field. </p>
<p>I expect (and have heard) pay in Ontario is in fact higher. So I would say making this much money should not be a problem, however keep in mind:</p>
<p>1) Co-op program does not insure employment, maybe the economy will get worse, maybe not. So you have to have a backup plan.</p>
<p>2) I doubt Waterloo “selects” co-op students for its “best” internships. It is up to you to convince the best companies to hire you (based on your grades and interview). Tip: Start early, and apply everywhere. Some companies (ex. Research In Motion next to Waterloo) are pretty much done hiring by early February for the May-August internship session, so you have to be quick.</p>
<p>you’re my hero…
thankss :)</p>