Cooperative Employment

Frequently Asked Questions 

Are the students hired into paid positions or unpaid positions? 

Our co-op program is a paid work-based learning program. Wages are negotiated  between the employer and student/employee at the time of hiring. Students are paid  competitive entry-level wages. 

How does the selection/hiring process work? 

Students should follow your company’s policies for your selection/hiring process. We do  encourage our employers to request resumes and conduct interviews to expose  students to a true hiring process. 

What hours are students eligible to work? 

In some situations, the student employee works full-time for a two-week period and  attends school full-time for two weeks alternately, while others require half-day school /  half-day work scheduling. Additionally, certain situations require employment scheduled  after school hours and on weekends. These details are worked out to the satisfaction of  the student and employer without jeopardizing the student’s scholastic standing. Employers can visit here to view State of Delaware work restrictions for minors. 

After a student is hired, what is required of the employer? 

The student’s supervisor should complete an evaluation form (provided by the student)  every 8 weeks. Additionally, the Co-op Coordinator and/or CTE instructor should be  permitted to occasionally visit the work site to conduct an in-person check-up on the  student/employee. Lastly, we expect that our employers maintain open communication  with the Co-op Coordinator and/or CTE instructor regarding any changes/concerns in  student progress. 

What job tasks can a co-op student perform? 

Students can conduct the same tasks as an entry-level worker and/or first year  apprentice. Although students do enter the workforce with technical training and  knowledge in their career and industry, they do require further training on-the-job and  oversight for safety and technical proficiency. 

Are there restrictions on workers under the age of 18 through Child Labor Laws? Although the State of Delaware does limit the tasks/occupations of minors under the  age of 18 in certain industries, they have included an exemption for “students enrolled  in a work-study, student-learner or similar program where the employment is an  integral part of the course of study….”. Please visit here to review the State’s Child Labor  Law and give special attention to the ‘NOTE’ at the bottoms of pages 5 and 7.

How is a layoff, termination or resignation handled? 

Although we do strive for long-term placements, we do understand that unexpected  circumstances may arise. There may be instances that a student needs to be ‘laid off’, or in worst cases possibly even terminated or resigned. In any situation, the Co-op  Coordinator will respect the employers’ workforce needs. We ask that when  unsatisfactory performance is leading to these outcomes, the employer and Co-op  Coordinator work together to train the student through these scenarios before it  progresses to a termination or resignation. If a student does lose employment, the  school can adjust the student’s schedule accordingly. The employer is not ‘locked into’  an employment agreement. 

What is the length of the employment period? 

Our goal is to provide long-term employment opportunities for our students. In most  cases, students are hired during their junior or senior year and the employment  opportunity continues until they graduate from High School (late May). Many employers  find great value in the student they have hired and extend an employment offer beyond  Graduation and our Co-op Program.

Current Cooperative Employment Students and Parent/Guardians

We provide superior Career and Technical Education, 

enabling all students to achieve their aspirations!

Student Responsibilities 

Students participating in the cooperative education (co-op) program must:

• Continue to be in good academic standing.
• Abide by all rules and regulations of the school, the district and the St. Georges Co-op Training Agreement.
• Students who attend school and then leave for co-op must sign out every time they leave. Areas and procedures for signing or swiping out are designated at St. Georges.
• Maintain regular attendance at your co-op employment and at school, and immediately notify their supervisor, CTE instructor, and cooperative education coordinator prior to any absences.
• Show an interest in the activities and experiences offered through your co-op employment. 
• Dress and groom in the manner consistent with the standards of the co-op employment site. 
• Submit completed co-op evaluations, weekly hour logs and all other documentation required by the career technical education (CTE) instructor and co-op coordinator by the due dates. 

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

• Make every effort to schedule all appointments (i.e. doctor’s appointments, etc.) after school hours and after the student’s co-op employment. 
• Direct issues or concerns about the student’s employment to the cooperative learning coordinator, not the employer. The co-op coordinator is an advocate for the student and the best resource to resolve issues. 
• Continue to regularly monitor your student’s academic progress through the Home Access Center. 

For Information regarding the Delaware Child Labor Law click: Delaware Child Labor Law 

Co-Op Evaluations

Each marking period, we ask that our co-op employers grade the students on their performance at work. This grade counts anywhere between 50% - 70% of the student’s career program grade. The Training Evaluation Form will be provided to each participating employer four (4) times during the regular school year and once during the summer. The student shall be responsible for presenting the Evaluation Form to the employer and returning it to the Cooperative Education office. Since the cooperative work experience is an extension of the career program, the student’s work evaluation is to become part of the marking period grade. The weight of the grade is directly proportional to the time spent on the job (i.e., if the student co-ops for half of the marking period, the employer’s evaluation shall reflect 50% of the grade.)

Submitting Documents Electronically from Home

All co-op paperwork and/or work permits can be submitted in-person at St.
Georges Technical High School. When turning in co-op paperwork, please ask the staff member to ensure the forms go to Ms. Jackson in the Co-Op office.

Additionally, you can submit your forms (for co-op and/or work permits) electronically so that you do not need to enter the building. All forms must be scanned and sent through email to [email protected]. The forms should be in a .pdf format. Students and parents/guardians can scan documents using their smartphones. If unsure how to do so, a quick internet search for “how to scan a document with (your cell phone model)” will give you detailed directions. These will allow you to use your phone to take a picture of the documents and it will convert them into .pdf files that can then be sent electronically.

Seniors can also visit the “Materials” tab in the “Cooperative Employment” Course  on Schoology for these same resources and instructions.

Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors can obtain a digital work permit and instructions on how to scan documents in the “Resources” tab > “Work Permits” folder in their Class Group on Schoology (example: Schoology > Groups > Class of 20XX > Resources > Work Permits).

For any families that do not have print capabilities in their homes, you can access printers for a small fee at local Staples, UPS, scanning/printing/copying stores in your area.

How to scan a document using an IPhone

How to scan a document using a Samsung Smartphone

How to scan a document using an Android

Link to Calendars and Forms

Calendars and Forms

Calendars

• Full Year Co-op Calendar: Full Year Co-op Calendar 2020-2021
• 2020-2021 District Calendar Spanish version/English version
• 2021-2022 District Calendar Spanish version/English version

Forms

• Co-op Training Agreement - Co-Op Approval Checklist
• Non-Paid Training/Internship Agreement-Internship Agreement
• Co-op Evaluation Form -  Sample Co-Op Evaluation Form (Please contact co-op coordinator if you need an electronic version sent to your employer).
• Co-op Hourly Log- Hourly Log Sheet
• State of Delaware Work Permit for Minor (Under 18) Working Papers
• Work Permit Procedures for Other States:
  • The application process is done online at: MD Work Permit for Minor 
  • Form is available online for printing at: PA Work Permit for Minor 
  • Form is available online for printing at: NJ Work Permit for Minor
• State of Maryland (for students who work in MD but live in another state).
• State of Pennsylvania (for students who work in PA but live in another state)
• State Of New Jersey (for students who work in NJ but live in another state)