Co-op's $88 million impact

Each semester, University of Cincinnati students are put to work - in and out of the classroom.

Students who participate in UC's cooperative education program get meaningful hands-on opportunities as they spend one semester studying on campus and the next semester working in their professional field, earning cash while they're learning.

In the 2023-24 academic year, more than 8,300 students earned an estimated $88.8 million collectively through paid co-op experiences, according to self-reported data. That averages to nearly $10,700 per student per semester.

It's an 18% increase in wages from the last reported co-op data.

Those collective earnings are even higher than the last reported earnings before the COVID-19 pandemic (approximately $75 million), officials say, due to rising hourly wages and increased co-op placements with UC's growing enrollment.

"Co-ops are transformative for our students who apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world experiences," says UC President Neville Pinto. "As an added bonus, earning while learning goes a long way toward easing the financial burden on students and families.

"The university's leaders understood this when they envisioned and invented the cooperative education model in 1906. We continue to embrace these advantages by expanding co-op opportunities to more and more UC students."

Annie Straka
Associate Dean, UC's College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies

The value of co-op

The data highlights the added value of co-op offsetting tuition costs. Earning money through paid co-ops helps students graduate with less debt, which has a lasting impact on their ability to thrive after college, says Annie Straka, associate dean in UC's College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies.

"The cost of higher education is significant," Straka says, "and the UC co-op model centers around connecting students with meaningful experiences that allow them to earn while they are in school and offset the cost of their education."

For students and families, co-op equates to job security and an increased value of a degree. Andrew Matthews is a student in UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science who works on co-op at Turner Construction.

"My parents love the idea of co-op because it puts you closer to having a full-time job," Matthews says. "They also love that I am making money and doing it as I learn about construction management." Read more about Matthews' experience at Turner.

That financial benefit, Straka says, can have a ripple effect.

"The economic impact of co-op extends beyond the individual and makes a positive impact on communities. Students leave the university and continue to earn at a higher rate because of their ability to compete in the job market. By increasing the upward mobility of the individual, co-op can uplift families and communities as well and that can have a lasting, compounding economic impact."

Co-op makes a statewide impact, too.

"Retaining top STEM talent in Ohio is a crucial component of continued economic growth in the state," said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. "The partnerships that UC and world-class organizations have formed through the co-op program provide domestic and international students first-hand experience in dynamic local workplaces, which will help to keep these talented individuals in Ohio."

Global founders of cooperative education

Cooperative education was invented at UC. In 1906, engineering dean Herman Schneider began requiring students to alternate between taking classes and working in the field. He would later become president of the university, with his co-op concept serving as a global model.

Over the past century, UC has continued to innovate on co-op. Today, the program is ranked Top 5 in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Last year, UC introduced the College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies (CCPS) to better serve all students, including adult learners and industry partners. As a dedicated college, CCPS continues to collaborate with industry and collegiate partners to offer co-op and experiential learning opportunities for students, while expanding its mission to serve adult learners pursuing career advancement. The college also serves co-op employer partners who are interested in advancing their existing workforce.

"Our college is expanding into the adult education space to provide pathways for upward mobility for all learners through upskilling/reskilling and professional development," says Straka. "That focus translates to our undergraduate programs as we want to provide support for students to build their skills and develop an appreciation for lifelong learning so they can continue to evolve throughout their careers after they leave UC."

Employer endorsements

For employers, co-op is a valuable recruitment tool. It's why UC boasts corporate co-op partners like GE Aerospace, Siemens and American Honda Motor Co.

Honda has had a long and successful relationship with UC, sourcing engineering and business students for co-ops, internship and full-time positions.

"We see our co-ops as a critical talent pipeline for positions," says Daniela Evans, unit lead for college relations at American Honda. "Additionally, co-ops can get real-world, hands-on experience by working on projects that are directly tied to their area of study and give them a sense of what they may be able to do as a full-time associate."

Many co-op students go on to work full time at their co-op employers after graduation, often with offers waiting for them before they don the cap and gown. And a few co-op students have gone full circle to work with UC as employers.

As a UC engineering student in the '90s, Jeremy Jarrett worked for a local technology consulting company through co-op.

Kinetic Vision was at the forefront of predicting structural performance for everything from aircraft wings to machines that make diapers. Jarrett ran modeling simulations for national clients that are household names. He was one of seven employees.

Jarrett still works at Kinetic Vision today, which now employs 200 people - only now he is president and CEO.

"I guess you could say my first co-op job got me to where I am as president," he says. Read more about Jarrett's story.

Data source: Student pay is self-reported through UC Professional Assessment and Learning (PAL) or Handshake by UC students on paid co-op experiences fall 2023, spring 2024 and summer 2024.

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