With the majority of trades co-op employers being small businesses, this accessible toolkit and training plan template provides best practices for successful outcomes for both students and employers.

Project Information

Institution(s): British Columbia Institute of Technology
Status: Complete
Project Dates: April 20, 2020 — July 16, 2021
Project Contact:
Susanna Kan
604-432-8741
skan10@bcit.ca
Project Contributors:
Lynne Murchie

Focusing on the skills shortages within the trades industry, a key part of this project developed a toolkit to support employers and supervisors in BCIT Trades Co-op programs with recruiting, mentoring and retaining students. With the majority of trades co-op employers being small businesses, this accessible toolkit and training plan template provides best practices for successful outcomes for both students and employers. Especially for students with limited work experience, having a positive and productive work experience early in their career encourages them to stay in the trades. This contributes to the needed talent growth in the industry and supports employer pipelines for tradespeople in the future.

Supervisor Toolkit
This toolkit gathers best practices from employers who have worked successfully with trades Co-op students over the years and created with the purpose of supporting supervisors with hiring, mentoring and retaining Co-op students.   Read More »
Supervisor Toolkit
Training Plan Template
With training as an essential component to a successful co-op work term, this training plan template is included in the Supervisor Toolkit as a guide for supervisors working with trades Co-op students. Read More »
Training Plan Template

Employer Perspective: Why Hire a BCIT Trades Co-op Student

This video features a Trades Co-op employer outlining the benefits of hiring co-op students from our trades programs and highlights differences with hiring apprentices.

Employer Perspective: Supporting a BCIT Trades Co-op Student

This video features a Trades Co-op employer providing tips on how to support a Co-op student including orientation, mentorship, engaging students and providing feedback. Additionally, advice for trades Co-op employers are offered in this video.

Employer Perspective: Generational Differences in the Workplace

This video features our Department Head from the Automotive Service Technician and Operations program outlining observations of some student backgrounds in the program, within a generational context. The purpose of the video is to bring awareness to trades co-op employers in how these differences may translate into the work environment along with highlighting skills of today’s students compared to previous generations.  Tips on teaching and mentoring in the workplace from an instructor’s perspective are also included.