Education Minister Chester Gillan announced Prince Edward Island's support of National Co-operative Education Week being celebrated March 24-28, 1997. "Education doesn't take place just in the classroom anymore," said Mr. Gillan. "An increasing number of students are choosing to combine academic study with practical experience as a jump start to their careers."
Internships and cooperative education offer more than on-the-job-training. The four month work terms augment what students have learned in their academic courses. They are able to put their skills to work in real business situations as well as learn from experts in their chosen fields.
As the name implies, co-operative education is a reciprocal relationship between students and employers. There are benefits for everyone involved. The employer gets the latest theories, fresh ideas from the academic world; the university gets practical input from the professional community; and the student has the opportunity to experience the two as an integrated whole.
In early February, the University of Prince Edward Island announced the Business Internship Program, the first of its type in the province. While there are already more than 28 employers and students involved in the program, Minister Gillan says he is confident these numbers will increase as word of the program spreads. "Today's students are a great source of new ideas and fresh thinking. When employers support this program they are making a tremendous investment in the future of both our province and the country," stated Mr. Gillan. "These students will be the leaders of tomorrow."
Interested students and employers can contact either Don MacCormac or Ernie Doiron at the University of Prince Edward Island for more information.
For more information contact: Ernie Doiron, Co-operative Education Office, UPEI, (902) 628-4397.