‘It’s the motivated students who apply’

Back in 1994, Harold Simpkins was asked to help set up a Co-op program in Concordia’s Department of Marketing. But first, he had to determine if there was enough demand to justify the cost.

The senior lecturer in the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) mailed letters to companies and not-for-profit organizations to gauge the level of interest in hiring Marketing Co-op students.

The response rate was incredible, he says. “I sent about 30 letters and I got something like 23 back saying, ‘Yes, we would be interested.’”

Selective, demanding and rewarding

The following year, the Marketing Co-op program was up and running. Simpkins has served as its academic director ever since.

Currently, it’s one of more than 30 programs offered through Concordia’s Institute for Co-operative Education, and there are almost 150 students enrolled in it every year. But enthusiasm for hiring them hasn’t waned. In fact, there are often more work terms available than candidates to fill them.

“Our challenge is just getting more and more students to apply,” Simpkins says.

Not everyone is accepted, though. The required GPA is higher than what’s required for admittance to JMSB and students have to be willing to alternate between work and study terms for the duration of the program.

“As part of their Co-op journey, students complete three paid work terms of up to 17 weeks each. They're either working or studying full time with no terms off, including the summer,” Simpkins says. “My sense is that it’s the motivated students who apply.”

Learning how to show up

Julie-Anne Arsenault, BComm 01, audience marketing manager at Microsoft in Seattle, was among the first students to enrol in the marketing Co-op program. She was attracted by the promise of professional experience.