Safety Questions Coop Teachers Need to Know

As a co-operative teacher you get the distinct privilege of helping students get the experience they need to make wise decisions about their future, but how do you really know that the placements the students participate in are safe and stimulating?

Using the following list may provide a framework to ask the right questions to employers so that you can be assured that you are not just finding a placement for your students but that you are opening doors of possibility to the students you teach.

What to ask employers you are considering for coop placement:

Question #1

What checks and balances does the company have in place with regards to safety?

A good company will have definitive systems in place regarding health and safety and will educate their employees about these policies. If an employer cannot clearly articulate what the company’s vision for health and safety is (this includes the frontline employees) this is usually an indication that safety is not high on the priority list.

Question #2

What kind of a mentoring system does the prospective company have in place?

A mentoring or a buddy system is a good indication that a company is serious about training its employees and therefore serious about its employees’ safety. It also indicates that the company understands that it’s future lies in the younger workers they currently have employed.

Question #3

Is the company open to hearing feedback from the students?

Companies who take time to listen to students’ opinions and have a formal feedback system for doing this are indicating that they respect the fresh perspective that young people bring. This kind of respect is a great indication of the environment that students will be working in. If a company treats a co-op student as an important asset to the company they are less likely to put them in unsafe situations.

Question #4

Is the prospective company trying to match each co-op opportunity with individual students’ talents and abilities?

Companies that care enough to find out about what a student is good at and what he or she enjoys is usually a company of first choice. By matching jobs with individual students, the company’s actions indicate that they will not treat students as commodities, but rather will respect the value he or she brings to the company.

Question #5

Does the employer provide a healthy work environment?

As a co-op teacher, one of the most positive outcomes of a semester is that the students would see their co-op placements not just as a jobs, but would engage in positive workplace experiences.

Champion employers go out of their way to create a culture of safety and respect throughout their place of employment. In this type of company pay is not the only benefit to working; emphasis is also placed on atmosphere, teamwork etc.

Giving students the opportunity to engage in this type of company experience is invaluable for them as it will create a tangible mental picture for students that will remind them that a job should be more than just how much they are getting paid. Experiencing a place of employment like this will reinforce the fact that they are valuable and they will never accept less - and certainly not consider working in an unsafe environment!

Question #6

Does the company provide a possible career path for the student to explore?

If a student feels like a co-op placement is more than just a way to get credits, they will engage in their in work with a greater amount of ownership. Employers that set out clear career paths will empower students and will help them to engage in all the responsibilities that come with a job.