The following description of employer responsibilities has been adopted to guide our employers in the effective operation of their co-op programs. Employers approved for participation in the Cooperative Engineering Education Program are expected to adopt the following general guidelines:

1. Provide work opportunities related to some phase of the co-op student’s field of study. The work experience should be of an appropriate level and difficulty to supplement, enhance, and utilize the co-op student’s background. Further, the work responsibility should push the student to expand his/her technical abilities and further his/her educational background.
   
   

2. Provide diversified assignments to give the co-op student a variety of experiences.
   
   

3. Provide work of increasing difficulty and responsibility commensurate with the co-op’s abilities as he/she progresses through the Program.
   
   

4. Place the co-op under the supervision of a qualified technical manager who can provide the co-op with effective guidance and counsel during the work session, and who can assist the co-op in adapting to the work environment and the organization.
   
   

5. Counsel with the co-op regarding his/her work performance, and complete a performance evaluation form at the end of each work period. This form is to be submitted to the college co-op coordinator – either by the co-op or the employer.
   
   

6. Approve the required written co-op work report prior to the departure of the co-op for the subsequent academic semester.
   
   

7. Welcome the college co-op coordinator and/or director to visit the work site and the co-ops periodically to review the program.
   
   

8. Pay the co-op a reasonable competitive wage commensurate with his/her ability, experience, and the job responsibilities.
   
   

9. Support and assist in the enforcement of the academic standards of the student for entrance to and continuation in the program.
   
   

10. Enter the program with a long-term point of view. That is assuming that the co-op’s work is satisfactory, the employer is expected to provide and require the full three alternating work periods. It is fundamental to the Akron Engineering Co-op Program that the co-op student alternate work periods with academic semesters. No deviations from this alternating sequence policy will be allowed.