In her final years of high school, teachers warned Ainsley Wallace and her classmates that going to university wouldn害羞草研究所檛 guarantee them a dream job.

害羞草研究所淭hey kind of scared us a bit and told us that getting a degree doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean you害羞草研究所檒l automatically get a good job,害羞草研究所� said Wallace, originally from Ottawa and now a student at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

害羞草研究所淚 decided to apply for a co-op program so I could graduate with some work experience and be able to compete for better jobs.害羞草研究所�

Canada is a leader in co-operative education, a learning model that alternates between academic and paid work terms.

It害羞草研究所檚 a form of so-called work integrated learning, an umbrella term that also includes other approaches to experiential learning like apprenticeships, internships and clinical placements.

Co-op programs can vary across the country, but all involve work related to a student害羞草研究所檚 field of study.

Employers gain access to affordable and energetic young talent, while students get hands-on experience and earn money.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 earn while you learn,害羞草研究所� said Robert Wooden, director of Management Career Services at Dalhousie University. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e learning in the classroom but you害羞草研究所檙e also earning an income during work terms.害羞草研究所�

The rising cost of living and higher tuition fees have made co-op programs increasingly appealing for students.

Tuition costs have nearly doubled over the last 20 years, according to Statistics Canada, while the cost of housing, food and other basic living expenses have also increased drastically.

Wallace, currently working for Halifax-based mentorship organization EnPoint as a marketing and business growth intern, said being able to earn cash while attending university was a major draw.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 fully on student loans,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 definitely been so helpful to be able to make an income for four months straight during these internships.害羞草研究所�

Making sure students are paid is one of the requirements of co-op accreditation, said Wooden, who also chairs the Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada Accreditation Council.

害羞草研究所淐o-op students aren害羞草研究所檛 working for free,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淣owadays university is too expensive. Organizations that are seeking to take advantage of unpaid student labour 害羞草研究所� co-ops are not interested in that.害羞草研究所�

Despite allowing students to earn money, co-op programs often take more time to complete.

害羞草研究所淭ypically co-op programs do take longer, but you graduate with a year of relevant work experience,害羞草研究所� Wooden said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 a lot more powerful on a resume than a degree and experience mowing lawns for three summers.害羞草研究所�

Companies hire co-op students as a way of bringing fresh ideas and young workers into the workplace.

害羞草研究所淓mployers like the co-op model because they see it as a talent pipeline,害羞草研究所� said Alice Hsiung, manager of career development projects and operations at Centennial College in Toronto, which offers co-op programs for students in different disciplines, including business, engineering technology, applied science and transportation.

害羞草研究所淪ome even offer students part-time jobs when they return to school at the end of a term and full-time positions once they graduate.害羞草研究所�

Although co-op programs have gained an edge amid the rising cost of living, they have a long history in Canada.

The University of Waterloo has been running co-operative education programs since the school was founded 65 years ago.

Its co-op program gained worldwide attention during the rise of BlackBerry, formerly Research In Motion, which drew heavily on the school害羞草研究所檚 engineering and computer science talent.

But co-op programs aren害羞草研究所檛 just for engineers and computer science students, said Norah McRae, associate provost of Co-operative and Experiential Education at the University of Waterloo.

Every academic program across the school害羞草研究所檚 six faculties offers a co-op program 害羞草研究所� some optional and some mandatory 害羞草研究所� with about 25,000 work terms last year alone, McRae said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 an opportunity for students to engage with workplaces and take what they害羞草研究所檙e learning in the classroom and apply it in different contexts,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t deepens the learning through application.害羞草研究所�

She adds: 害羞草研究所淪ometimes the best work terms are those where a student says, 害羞草研究所業 hate this,害羞草研究所� because it害羞草研究所檚 way better to figure that out after a four-month work term than to graduate, pursue a career in that field and a couple of years later realize it害羞草研究所檚 not for you.害羞草研究所�

Still, despite the benefits of co-op programs, there are drawbacks.

Sometimes job offers are far from where the university or college is located.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e a finance student and you want to work in capital markets, the only place that you can really get into sales and trading is Toronto downtown,害羞草研究所� Wooden said.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e an industrial engineering student, you害羞草研究所檙e not going to step outside your apartment and walk to work. There is no manufacturing plant in downtown Halifax.害羞草研究所�

While some employers have started to offer hybrid or remote work terms 害羞草研究所� and others offer relocation benefits 害羞草研究所� co-op students may have to move to gain experience, he said.

Also, co-op programs aren害羞草研究所檛 easy.

While universities find employers looking to hire, share job postings and offer tools to help students build resumes and prepare for interviews, the student is responsible for engaging in a competitive process and finding a work term, McRae said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard work,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淣o one in any co-op program in Canada is going to hand you a job.害羞草研究所�

Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press

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