Co-op & Career Coordinator

University of British Columbia•Kelowna, BC

2d•CA$6,950 - CA$9,993

About The Position

The Centralized Co-op Education Program at UBC’s Okanagan campus offers students enriched educational experiences for personal and professional growth by working with diverse community partners and sectors to provide transformative workplace learning as part of students’ undergraduate degree programs. This position is responsible for the development, implementation, coordination and evaluation of the Centralized Co-op Education program at the UBC Okanagan campus. This includes designing and implementing strategies to market the program to employers nationally and internationally, recruiting students and providing counselling to students to prepare for co-op work terms one-on-one and in groups, monitoring student work terms and addressing any workplace issues that students encounter, providing evaluation and analysis of work terms and student success each term, collaborating with other experiential education and community engaged professionals at UBC and throughout the province and the day-to-day administration of the program. This position will work across all disciplines included within the Centralized Co-op Education Program, including working with the other program coordinators and students as required. This position will further enact a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonized practice through continued program development and improvement, using an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, gender positive, service equity approach.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
Minimum of four years of related experience, or then equivalent combination of education and experience.
Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree with Co-operative Education experience preferred.
Several years experience working in a post secondary or professional environment.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills to build and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Experience working with Indigenous people/organizations, people with diverse abilities, and people of colour in post-secondary education.
Proven sensibility and appreciation of the role that gender, race, disability, gender identity, sexuality, social background play in the experience of students.
Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal and written and oral communications skills, including public speaking.
Experience in adult education design and development.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently as well as with a team is essential.
Ability to exercise judgement, and work effectively under pressure to manage multiple priorities.
Experience in working in strategic planning, and experience and knowledge of university governance, structures, policies and procedures, academic programs and student services is beneficial.
Ability to act with tact, diplomacy, and discretion.
Experience with career counseling and curriculum development preferred.
Demonstrated administrative experience including strong computer experience with Microsoft Office.
Experience in planning and facilitating meetings, workshops, conferences and similar events.
Must have an understanding of Indigenous experiences, particularly as they relate to post-secondary education, and an appreciation of the complexity and range of Indigenous peoples and communities.
Fluency in a second language and experience with international work programs an asset.
Must have access to private vehicle for regional travel.

Responsibilities

Develops, implements, coordinates and evaluates the Centralized Co-op Education program at the UBC Okanagan campus.
Designs and implements strategies to market the program to employers nationally and internationally.
Recruits students and provides counselling to students to prepare for co-op work terms one-on-one and in groups.
Monitors student work terms and addresses any workplace issues that students encounter.
Provides evaluation and analysis of work terms and student success each term.
Collaborates with other experiential education and community engaged professionals at UBC and throughout the province.
Manages the day-to-day administration of the program.
Researches and identifies job opportunities for co-op work terms.
Contacts employers, building and maintaining relationships through phone, virtual and face-to-face meetings and presentations.
Establishes and maintains effective relationships with employers and develops new employer contacts.
Participates in trade shows, career fairs and other employment related events.
Works with employers to develop appropriate co-op work terms consistent with academic guidelines.
Coordinates the selection of students for the co-op program.
Liaises with faculty co-op advisors and the Manager to apply appropriate selection criteria.
Liaises with other career professionals within the university to promote the effective functioning of the program and to ensure that standards are maintained.
Develops and implements a marketing plan for the co-op program in conjunction with the Manager.
Designs and edits marketing materials for the Centralized Co-op Program.
Assists in providing a program of pre-employment training for students prior to their first work term.
Contributes to development of relevant training materials.
Teaches a series of pre-employment workshops, providing feedback and assessment for all required learning.
Conducts sessions in career counselling either individually or in groups to prepare students for employment.
Oversees the keeping of records on student work terms and assessment of learning experience including, grading of work term reports, tracking and conducting mid-term check meetings and reviewing evaluations providing feedback overall to the student.
Liaises with the applicable Dean’s office, and Registrar to ensure that information is accurately reported for students’ academic records.
Conducts employer visits and feedback sessions to assess overall Co-op program delivery, effectiveness, and relevance to employers and future employer requirements.
Deals with workplace safety concerns, employment issues (including harassment and employment equity), intellectual property rights and confidentiality concerns raised by students and/or employers.
Participates in development and management of the budget for the Centralized Co-op Program.
Prepares reports on student work terms for submission to outside agencies in conjunction with the Manager.
Develops the appropriate forms for application to the Centralized Co-op Program and for assessment of student learning throughout the program.
Assists the Manager in areas of strategic planning and operational procedures for the program encouraging (re)development of initiatives and activities that address the changing needs and diversity of the campus.
Evaluates trends in order to recommend, advocate and initiate responsive and proactive change within the program.
Exercises individual judgement in organizing work, dealing with students and faculty and other external agencies.
Exercises judgement in dealing with employers, faculty members and students.
Makes decisions in collaboration with the Manager and also independently.
Assists in supervising other staff working for the program, including students.
Coordinators are authorized to remove students from the Centralized Co-op Program for poor performance both on and off the work place.