Co-op is not in the UK? Hmm... Maybe you call it something different.
Most degree program these days are co-op in North America. You combine working with studying and thus get a better degree.
Previously, it was:
Semester 1 (Sept - Dec): STUDY
Semester 2 (Jan - April): STUDY
Semester 3 (May - Aug): OFF, but most students would try to find a job
With co-op, it becomes:
Year 1, Semester 1: STUDY
Year 1, Semester 2: CO-OP JOB
Year 1, Semester 3: STUDY
Year 2, Semester 1: Co-OP JOB
...
YEAR 5, Semester 2: STUDY (and graduation)
It takes one year longer than a regular program, but the program itself is 4 years. You also graduate with 2 years working experience. However, there are no vacations for 5 years.
In order to get a credit for a co-op semester, you need to work in your field, you need to get a positive evaluation from your employer, and you need to submit a 2,000 word work report to your employer and faculty.
Advantages are:
- you get experience in your field, or even in areas not quite in your field
- money to pay for school
- you don't get burnt out from school
- freedom... you work for a different employer every other 4 months (or you can stay if you wish). This gives a lot of diverse work experience.
So basically, I'm wondering what university students in the IT industry gets paid in the United Kingdom.
I haven't seen may UK companies at my school, but the Australians, Japanese, and Finns are very anxiously grabbing co-op students.
(Employers go to the school and post the jobs they have available. Students go on the school's website and applies to the jobs they want. Employers then pick the students they want to interview, and then make a decision who they want to hire.
Ie. start of a study semester, I get my "package" in order (resume, cover letter, references, etc.) I make 24 copies of it. I go to the website, and look through the hundreds of jobs available. I take down the bin numbers. Then, next day, I go to school and drop all my resume packages off into the bins. (I apply to 24 jobs.) The employers go through the resumes, decide who to interview, and tells the school. The school then schedules all the interviews.
In the end, you rank all the jobs. Your ranking, plus the employers ranking, decides which job you get.)
Of course, you can find a job on your own, which is what I'm doing right now. I'm looking into foreign opportunities for the September - December 2004 term, and the April - August 2005 term.