Co-operative Education

Co-op education is an option open to students in the Bachelor of Commerce program

Business students working

Why Co-op?

  • Test drive career paths and employers.
  • Gain business-related work experience.
  • Build your professional network.
  • Learn from a number of mentors.
  • Develop marketable skills.
  • Learn how to find work in a competitive work environment.
  • Earn money to help offset student debt.

How It Works

As a co-op student, you will alternate study terms with four or eight-month work terms. Work terms begin the summer after second year. Typically, an additional one to two study terms are required to complete your degree.

Two Ways to Enter Co-op

You can apply to co-op directly from high school OR during your first year of studies.

To be eligible for co-op you must:

  • Maintain a B average or better.
  • Be registered full-time in the term before placement

For more information, visit carleton.ca/co-op.

Recent Co-op Employers

  • Alcatel-Lucent
  • Bank of Canada
  • Brookfield Renewable Power
  • Canadian Red Cross
  • Canada Revenue Agency
  • Deloitte
  • Ernst & Young
  • Export Development Canada
  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Hydro Ottawa
  • KPMG
  • Office of the Auditor General of Canada
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers
  • Public Works and Government Services Canada
  • Raymond Grant Chabot Thorton
  • The Minto Group
  • 360pi

Amy Grochot

Bachelor of Commerce, Information Systems and Management
Co-op placement: Orbis Risk Consulting Inc.

“I feel confident that I have what it takes to thrive in a professional workplace and it is due to co-op. Co-op has provided me with the practical experience I needed to apply what I’ve been learning at school and build a skill set that I will continue to use throughout my career. Working at Orbis has broadened my network and opened me up to many great opportunities even before I have graduated.”

headshot of Amy
headshot of Betsaleel

Betsaleel Joseph

Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting,
Minor in Spanish
Co-op placement: Deloitte LLP

“I gained practical life experience, built my professional network and gained insight to the life of the second largest professional service firm. Like test-driving a new car before committing to a purchase, co-op enabled me to test-drive a career before graduating.

The most valuable aspect of my co-op experience was being able to work along members of top management of various well-known organization while being treated like any other full-time employee. I was assigned crucial and beneficial tasks within an audit engagement that made a difference in the deliverables.”