Culminating Activities (30% Final Mark)

Part 1: Final Oral Examination
(30% of final grade in Co-op)

Towards the end of each semester (or at the end of each quadmester if you are doing a 1 credit afternoon placement during the school day), you will meet with one of the Co-op teachers for a 15 minute oral examination. While it is not necessary to "study" for this exam as though it were for an 'academic' course, the following outline will give you some idea of what to expect in order to prepare yourself. If you wish, you may make notes and bring them to the exam in order to 'refresh' your memory while you speak. Or, you may choose simply to speak without any notes.

You will be asked to discuss some or all of the following:
  1. What are the most important skills that you learned (or are still learning) in your job?
  2. Which skills are you best at?
  3. Which skills need improvement?
  4. Which skills do you think are most 'transferable' to other jobs?
  5. In terms of the 'linking' course and generic Co-op expectations your Personal Placement Learning Plan, describe some of the specific skills that you learned and demonstrated in your job that connect with the PPLP expectations. (Note: the teacher will help you at this point in the exam by describing and explaining the PPLP expections and suggesting some possible connections for you to expand on)
  6. Suggest at least one thing that you would need to learn--or get better at--if you were to continue in your job.
  7. What is the most important thing that you have learned about yourself in your job?
  8. What knowledge or skills that you have gained in your job would you add to an exit resume?

The teacher may also ask you to summarize some of the other important learnings that you have acquired in your job. Whether your experience in the job is good or bad, this is an opportunity for you to reflect on and to demonstrate the connections you have made between the workplace and your linking course.



Part II: Reference Letter
Instructions: Write a reference letter about YOURSELF ready for your employer to sign (you do not actually have to get your employer to sign the letter, but be honest enough so that, if required, he/she would be able to do so).
Include in your letter:
1. Three skills that you have developed.
2. Two personal achievements.
3. Two concluding comments on how you have been an asset to the organization.
Be sure to back up each statement with detailed examples from the workplace.
Write the letter in business style format, paying close attention to spelling and grammar.

Work Readiness: Resume & the "Ideal" Job

Creating an Effective Resume


Instructions:
Part I: Examine at least three of the links below to look at different ways of designing a resume.

http://www.careers.org/
http://www.campusworklink.com/
http://www.monster.ca/
http://www.resumeedge.com/
http://www.resumania.com/
http://www.mazemaster.on.ca/

Part II:
  1. Brainstorm a list of the new skills, attitudes, knowledge, etc, that you have gained from your work experience.
  2. Decide on a style of resume. Keep it as simple as possible.
  3. Do a rough draft of your revised resume according to the style of resume that you have chosen:
  • prominently display your name, address, telephone, and email
  • list your skills, apptitudes, and experience
  • use action-packed dynamic words
  • do not use abbreviations
  • check spelling and grammar
  • you may wish to customize your resume for a specific job or area
  • share your resume with a teacher or friend or family member and get their feed-back
  • prepare a final copy and save to disc
  • prepare a final hard copy and make at least two other hard copies to keep on file (in case you lose the electronic copy)

The assignment may be submitted as a Word attachment to an email (see contact link) or as hardcopy. The assignment must be typed.

Part III: Meet with the Co-op teacher to discuss the final draft of your new or improved resume.

Part IV: If you could work at a job of your choice, what would it be like? Describe your version of the IDEAL JOB (part-time, full-time, or career). Consider the following aspects of the job when writing your report:
Location
Job Description
Duties
Work Environment
Equipment
Rules
Educational Requirements
Opportunities for Advancement
Co-workers
Type of boss
Benefits
Hours
Salary

Length: 1 page.

Work Readiness: Employment Standards

Your legal rights as a worker in Ontario

Assignment: Using the links provided, answer the questions below in point form. This assignment may be submitted as a Word attachment to an email to Rob Ross or Nabeel Salloum (see email links above) or typed or handwritten as hard copy and submitted in person at the school.

  1. What is the name of the Act which provides minimum standards for most workers in Ontario? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-0-0
  2. Is your job covered under the Act? Explain why or why not. http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-1-1
  3. Explain what is meant by "minimum standards." http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-2-1
  4. If I am covered under the Act, when should I be paid? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-3-1#H1
  5. If I quit my job or am fired, how should I be paid? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-3-1#H4
  6. What kind of deductions can my employer make? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-3-1#H7
  7. What kind of deductions can my employer not make? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-3-1#H9
  8. What should I do if I think my employer is not following the Act? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-3-1#H9
  9. What are the maximum number of hours for an employee? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-4-1#H1
  10. Can I agree to work more than the daily or weekly maximum? Explain. http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-4-1#H1
  11. Can my employer ask me to work longer than the daily maximum? Give an example. http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-4-1#H1
  12. How long can my employer ask me to work before I am given an eating break? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-4-3
  13. If I work for my employer for less than a year, am I still entitled to vacation pay? Explain. http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-5-1#H4
  14. What is the difference between personal emergency leave and family medical leave? http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-5-4#H2
  15. What is meant by a 'reprisal'? Give an example. http://www.worksmartontario.gov.on.ca/scripts/default.asp?contentID=1-6-3

Reflection on Workplace: Seminar/Written Assignments

Summary Written Reflective Learning Assignment
& discussion 'starters' for weekly meeting with Co-op teacher

Reflection is...

  • Thinking about your experiences
  • Analysing and solving problems arising from your experiences
  • Summarizing and focusing on the meaning of your experiences
  • Evaluating your experiences
  • Making sense of your experiences
  • Clarifying what your experiences mean to you
  • Predicting next steps as a result of your experiences

There are three levels of thinking required when writing a reflection summary. Try to use each level in your report.

Level 1: Retell in your own words; summarize information; state the main idea; identify the key concept.

Level 2: Relate; in other words, make connections or apply to your personal experience, books, events, etc; compare and contrast; analyze; give examples to illustrate your points.

Level 3: Reflect; in other words, draw conclusions from your experience; apply judgement; state opinions; give new insights or new understandings.

Instructions for assignment:

Complete a one page (maximum) reflective summary of your work experience using the three levels (Retell; Relate; Reflect) as an outline for your work.

The assignment will be evaluated based on 1) the connections you make between your learnings in your job and your in-school learning; 2) your analysis of your job experience; 3) the clarity of your writing; 4) how you plan to use the learning from your job in the future or in other situations (i.e., your 'transferable' knowledge and skills developed on the job site).

This formal, written assignment must be submitted each and every quad that a student is in Co-op (due dates will be different for each student and will be given to each student by the Co-op teacher). It is in addition to the informal weekly meeting between the Co-op teacher and the student (i.e., the weekly "reflection seminar") and may be a kind of "summary" of the discussion that you have had with the teacher so far.

The weekly reflection seminar (one-one discussion with the Co-op teacher) is worth 10% of the final mark in Co-op. The written reflection assignment is worth 10% of the final mark in Co-op.

'Starters' to get you thinking about your work experience (use for weekly meeting and for formal, written reflection assignment...

How I feel about some experience at my job...

A problem at my job that I analyzed and solved...

What I like [or don't like] about my job...

What I find satisfying or frustrating in my work...

Is this the type of work I want to do in the future? Why or why not...

What I am learning through my work that is encouraging me to finish high school...

What I am learning through my work that is causing me to change or revise my goals...

What skills am I learning in my job? How could these be transferred to other jobs?

What have I learned about myself through my job?