Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education - Capstone and Diversified Occupations (CIP Code 32.0105) - Overview

Cooperative Education (Co-op) is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. Research indicates that employers value job experience in their newly-hired workers. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a “co-op”, provides academic credit for structured job experience. Cooperative education is taking on new importance in helping young people to make the school-to-work transition, service learning, and experiential learning initiatives.

The Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center (SCCTC) is placing new emphasis on this program, concentrating in two of the areas of Co-op. Those two areas are known as the Capstone Program and the Diversified Occupations (D.O.) Program. The Capstone Program provides an opportunity for seniors to be employed for ½ day during school hours in the field that they have received technical instruction at the SCCTC. They receive full credit for their employment hours, as well as an hourly wage equal to or greater than minimum wage.

The D.O. Program is similar to Capstone but is offered to juniors and seniors in areas of employment where no training is offered at SCCTC. The program also offers students the opportunity to leave school ½ day for work and receive full credit for those hours of employment as technical training in an area of their own interest and receive at least a minimum wage.