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University of Toronto Co-op: Preparing you for work in Canada and beyond

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How would you like to live in Canada's most exciting city, earn money as an international student, and get an education from one of the world's top ranked universities? Do you want to know why students from 43 different countries are coming to the University of Toronto? They are all coming for the co-op programs, which combine academic studies with work experience. Shoaib, a fourth year co-op management student from Dubai, UAE can explain: “The University of Toronto co-op experience is bound to open an exciting world of opportunities, both domestically and internationally. The co-op programs at U of T are truly exceptional, whether in Management, Arts, or Science, work experience while studying is an intangible asset and usually leads to full-time employment right after graduation.”

Location

What makes U of T co-op different from other co-op programs is that U of T is located in Canada’s most vibrant and diverse city. With a diverse array of job opportunities, you are sure to gain work experience from a variety of reputable companies. You can access some of Canada’s top health care institutions and scientific research companies like The Hospital For Sick Children, MethylGene and Apotex. Since Toronto is the financial hub of Canada, you can work with employers such Ernst & Young LLP, Scotiabank and BMO Nesbitt Burns. Finally, as the home to many multinational corporations, work term opportunities exist with Sun Microsystems, Proctor & Gamble, and BMW Canada.

Toronto boasts a thriving arts community offering you exciting opportunities in music, film, theatre, dance and more! There are over 125 museums and art galleries in the Greater Toronto Area, over 50 dance and ballet companies, and is considered “Hollywood North” by the film industry. Home to the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum and National Ballet of Canada, U of T offers co-op programs for those whose passion lies in the arts. One such program is Arts Management. Unique to U of T, it blends an education in the fine arts, with business training. Graduates of this program can be expected have careers in arts councils, arts service organizations and the government. Not just limited to Arts Management students, these vibrant cultural and entertainment opportunities are available to any U of T student!

Support

“How will I know which company to approach? What if they’re not hiring? I have no work experience, what will I be doing?” These are all common questions that many international students worry about when finding that job after having arrived in Canada. However, you don’t need to worry – there is a great support system in place at the campus to help you. Co-op coordinators function as your very own personal employment counselors and guide you through the entire work process.

Money

An attractive feature of the U of T co-op experience is that you are paid for each work term experience. You can earn a total income ranging from $12,000 to $32,000 CAD. Additionally, relative to tuition fees, all co-op work earnings are practically tax free!

Quality Work Experience

Shoaib already has work experience in Canada working for two leading companies, Canadian Tire and Kruger Inc. Canadian Tire is a network of businesses including retail stores, gas stations and financial services. Kruger Inc is a Canadian company established in 1904 offering industrial and consumer products such as the popular tissue paper brands, Cashmere® and Scotties®. As a Marketing Intern at Kruger Inc, some of Shoaib’s responsibilities included drafting marketing research project requests, drafting questionnaires, extracting and analyzing custom research results, and developing research presentation materials.

Here’s what Shoaib had to say about Kruger Inc: “My first work term at Kruger Inc. was a true delight. Initially my impression was that work terms are meant to give a student a taste of the real world, but to my surprise the work was significant and I gained hands-on experience on valuable marketing initiatives and research studies that had an impact on corporate decision-making.”

Chenxing, a fourth year co-op quantitative analysis student from Beijing, China has completed his work experiences for two industry leaders in the technological and financial district, IBM Canada and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). IBM is a multinational excelling in providing quality information technology products, services, and business consulting expertise. At IBM, Chenxing worked as a Quantitative Analyst in Eclipse Test & Performance Tool Platform Project (TPTP). He used test methodologies including JUnit testing, URL testing, manual testing and automated GUI recording to test various products. RBC is one of the five leading banks in Canada providing Canadians with financial services such as wealth management and transaction processing. As a business analyst, he conducted various analysis activities as part of the Global Financial Products Group.

Giving You That Competitive Edge

The benefits of co-op go beyond monetary compensation and resume development. Chenxing realized this first hand: “When I chose the co-op program at U of T, I thought that work experience would look good on a resume, but I now realize that not only do I get experience from 12 months of work, I also have a better idea about my career options. I have a much clearer idea about what I want to do in the future.” He continues, “Through my co-op work terms, I have improved my communication skills by discussing various issues with my team and other departments. I received more work and responsibility as my work term went on. You need to have everything well organized. These skills are important if you want to be a leader.”

Shoaib adds, “The broad management exposure, coupled by the co-op advantage and an outstanding faculty, has allowed me to hone my skills and prepare well in advance for the real business world. I am confident that no matter where in the world I plan to kick-start my career, the U of T co-op advantage will tag along every step of the way.”
University of Toronto - Scarborough

Modified on November 09, 2009

University of Toronto Co-op: Preparing you for work in Canada and beyond

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