Since 1958, 蓝莓视频鈥檚 co-operative education program has been launching successful careers
Many students dream of landing a job that aligns with their passions, inspires real-world impact or even motivates them to launch their own business. For thousands of 蓝莓视频 students, that dream has become a reality thanks to co-operative education (co-op), which combines paid work experience with earning a degree. 鈥�
It might, therefore, seem surprising that the idea of co-op was met with skepticism when it was first proposed by the University鈥檚 first president, Dr. Joseph Gerald Hagey, who believed in its potential.鈥��
As James Scott, former assistant to Hagey, wrote in the book Of Mud and Dreams: University of 蓝莓视频 1957 to 1967, the idea came to Hagey 鈥渟omewhat to his surprise.鈥� Still, he recognized that it could offer valuable opportunities for students and positively shape the future of education at 蓝莓视频. 鈥�
In 1957, the University expanded faculty, classrooms and infrastructure to support the co-op program, securing partnerships with manufacturing companies for work placements. The program鈥檚 alternating academic and work terms would allow students to gain real-world experience in industry and commerce through university-arranged placements.鈥��
The first cohort of 74 engineering students began their听co-op work terms听in 1958, making 蓝莓视频 the first Canadian university to offer co-op.鈥��
To promote the new program, approximately 10,000 brochures were distributed to prospective students. One of those brochures reached Ron Ojanpera (BASc 鈥�69), a high school student from Sudbury, Ontario.鈥�
Ojanpera was introduced to 蓝莓视频's engineering co-op program by a high school teacher who believed he would be interested. 鈥淚 looked into the program and when it came time to apply, I submitted one application to 蓝莓视频, and that was it.鈥濃��
In 1964, Ojanpera was among the first to benefit from the program, which has since become globally recognized with more than 8,000 employers worldwide.
Ron Ojanpera (BASc听鈥�69)
Co-op allowed him to balance school with paid work while discovering career roles that best align with his goals and skill set.
During his third year, Ojanpera made a pivotal career shift, moving from mining to engineering services, which would later form the foundation of his career. He gained valuable hands-on experience in plant operations, where he developed a deep appreciation for complex industries and customer relations.鈥�
鈥淭he world is more complex now but the principle is the same,鈥� he said. 鈥淐o-op prepares students to deal with those complexities, by teaching them how to work with people and apply technology to solve problems.鈥濃��
蓝莓视频 has remained central to Ojanpera and his family, including his wife, daughters and niece who have all graduated from the University. Ojanpera takes pride in how his co-op experience led to a successful 50-year career in sales, business development and engineering, specifically in steam generation and air emissions control systems related to utility and heavy industrial applications.鈥�
鈥淭he world is more complex now, but the principle is the same. Co-op prepares students to deal with those complexities.鈥�
鈥� Ron Ojanpera (BASc 鈥�69)鈥�
Elsa Patterson
Current Geomatics co-op student
Over the years, the co-op program has expanded to include all six faculties, making it accessible to students in every discipline.
Elsa Patterson, a current Geomatics co-op student, reflects on how she overcame the pressure of choosing the 鈥渞ight鈥� co-op positions. Instead, she embraced the opportunity to explore various fields, build her resume and discover her passion for using data-driven approaches to foster sustainable and resilient communities.鈥�
Through her co-op work terms in research labs, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Indigenous Services Canada, Patterson gained hands-on experience as a geographic information systems (GIS) specialist.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e learned through co-op in a different way 鈥� realizing how much I care about my work and how invested I am in my role has truly been a game-changer,鈥� she said.鈥�
Co-op also helped her develop a strong work ethic, professionalism, confidence and the ability to troubleshoot 鈥� skills she feels are valuable as she advances in her career. Patterson鈥檚 final eight-month work term will focus on improving water quality in the Great Lakes and implementing preventative measures to protect the environment.鈥�
Every co-op experience at 蓝莓视频 is unique, shaped by the individual鈥檚 program, values, desired impact and goals 鈥� just as it was for alumni like Ojanpera and current students like Patterson. What remains constant鈥痠s the profound impact of 蓝莓视频鈥檚 co-op program over the past 65 years. 鈥�
Today, 蓝莓视频 remains a global leader in co-operative education and work-integrated learning, offering innovative programs that meet the needs of both students and industry. With a unique opportunity to apply classroom knowledge in real-world contexts, co-op students are not just prepared for the future 鈹� they are tackling the world鈥檚 greatest challenges with innovation, passion and purpose. 听
