The reopening of Algonquin’s Cooperative Education Centre aired an announcement for a $150,000 from RBC and it was welcomed by students and faculty in room C226 on Feb. 20.
An announcement of a $150,000 grant to the co-op program from RBC, a part of its Future Launch Initiative, was provided to support the co-op program.
“At RBC we believe that investing in our youth is critical to Canada’s future,”
Rania Zammar, branch manager at RBC, said in a tweet. “RBC foundation is proud to support Algonquin College with a $150k gift to support the co-op program.”
The co-op program aids students in finding and adjusting to full-time working experiences that take place in between academic semesters which provides experience within related fields.
Currently the college offers 46 co-op programs, and students in their second semester within certain fields of study are invited to apply for co-op through an email by the Cooperative Education Centre.
Students accepted into the program work with academic advisers eight months prior to their work term.
The co-op centre aims to accelerate students’ professional careers by connecting them within their relatable fields. The key aspect of a “co-op” education is the learning that occurs within the classroom or workplace.
The centre aids to provide students a seamless transition between both and take advantage of the integrated learning.
David Hall, manager at the Cooperative Education Centre, makes sure that students receive efficient assistance and helps connect students with industry professionals within their relative fields.
“We noticed that RBC had these grants available and based on research the co-op department thought, wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could hire more senior co-op students?
“The $150,000 is set aside to establish this centre, provide training, provide space and for hiring co-op students for the department,” Hall explained.
RBC’s Future Launch initiative is aimed to transition young students today into the changing tides of the workplace. It aids with the co-op departments mission of preparing students for their professional dreams.