The Co-operative Education Programme (Co-op@CUHK) combines classroom-based education with practical work experience in a well-structured learning approach. Participating students in Year 2 or above take two preparatory courses for the school-to-work transition. They are then challenged on their professional knowledge and skills in a six- to eight-month placement.
Differences between Co-op and Internship
|
Co-op |
Internship |
|
|
Work Period |
Full-time work for 6 to 8 months |
Full- or part-time, shorter period |
|
Salary |
Fully paid by employer |
Paid or unpaid |
|
Academic Credit |
Working & learning; can also obtain credits |
Can be non-credit bearing |
|
Job Nature |
Extensive all-round training, and professional matching |
Provides experience related to a particular major |
Well-structured Learning Approach
Students who are enrolled to the Co-op programme participate in two pre-employment courses and one six- to eight-month placement. The Co-op placement starts in the summer session each year and continues until the first term of the following academic year. Students earn five credits after completing the Co-op programme.
Unlocking Employability Potential and Personal Branding COOP3001
1 unit
- Personality dimensions
- Networking for career success and personal connections
- Establishing an executive presence that provides a professional advantage
- Elevator Pitch, Story Telling, Career Planning
- Defining and crafting a personal brand through values, behaviour and application
Developing Workplace Professionalism COOP3002
2 units
- Data analytics – getting control, strategies and insights
- Creativity and innovation
- From sensitive to strong: how to handle change and turn criticism into catalysts for success
- The first 30 days of your role
- The digital economy, information security and innovation
- The Hong Kong legal system
Work Placement and Continuous Assessment COOP4001
1 unit per term
- Exposure to a real-life work environment
- Identification of one’s core competencies and areas for improvement via assessment tools
- E-Learning courses (2 courses / Work Term)
- Workplace reflection paper
- Testimonial videos in the workplace
Job Openings
The list of our corporate partners will continue to expand as the Programme grows.
* for 2022-23 Cohort
Student Sharing
“The CO-OP experience helped me better understand myself, my capabilities and my career aspirations. My supervisor and seniors at Siemens were always generous with their time and knowledge and gave me both career and life advice.”
Sonia SAUNG
21-22 Cohort,
Energy and Environmental Engineering
Assistant Engineer, Siemens
“We not only gained valuable workplace experience in CO-OP, but also a new perspective on our personal development. The Co-op’s pre-employment training helped me adapt to the company’s culture, work style and expectations. Indeed, I underwent transformative changes throughout my Co-op journey.
Jade LAU
21-22 Cohort, Psychology
Supply Chain Assistant,
Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices
“Being responsible for triaging tickets in my Co-op placement helped me sharpen my judgement skills in finance, as I needed to assign tickets to the appropriate business leads and categorise them into areas such as cash management, AP, AR and costing.”
Richard Keane HARTONO
Cohort 22-23,
Financial Technology
Financial Systems Analyst Intern,
Methanex Asia Pacific Ltd.
