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International Coop

FAQ

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

	What should I do to get ready for co-op?
	Answer:	You must meet the following requirements: Pass a pre- co-op course. Maintain a cumulative G.P.A of at least 2.00 at the end of the last trimester prior to co-op application. Complete the academic conditions required by the Academic School Haven’t been suspended from the studies in the co-op trimester. Haven’t been penalized for misconduct leading to suspension from studies except when receiving approval from the Academic School and a written guarantee of behaviors from the guardians. Doesn’t have any disease or illness that could interfere the job in the workplace. Moreover, you need to prepare yourself academically and develop the necessary working skills such as language and computer skills including improving your personality. In addition, you should plan what career you would like to pursue in the future and what types of workplaces or organizations offer job placements. This information helps make decision in choosing a co-op job.

	Which is more difficult, the real lifework or the co-op work? How are they different?
	Answer:	The co-op work term lasts only 16 weeks. Its complexity depends on various elements, for example; the nature of work, employer’s expectations, your personality, knowledge, and abilities. If you encounter a problem or cannot perform the job as assigned, a job supervisor will give you some advice or suggestions. You can also consult your instructors in the Academic School. In fact, the employers generally understand that co-op students are young and inexperienced. Therefore, students are usually forgiven if they unfortunately make some mistakes that are not very serious. It is different from the real life working situation where employees must be matured, highly responsible, and knowledgeable in their fields. So a mistake is not allowed to occur. Even if it does occur, it must be minute. Inefficient employees have negative impacts on organizations.

	Am I guaranteed a co-op job placement after submitting the job application?
	Answer:	No, whether you will get a job or not depends on the consideration of the employers of the workplaces. If you are not recruited, you will have to try the other workplaces until you succeed. However, the co-op official and the Academic School are going to help you find the appropriate workplaces. You will also receive assistance with your resume and application letter.

	Are all co-op students likely to get a co-op job placement?
	Answer:	Cooperative Education Program is mandatory for all SUT students. Therefore, the Academic Schools and the Co-op Office make every effort to find quality as well as qualified employment for all available co-op students each year. However, students must also try to improve their working skills needed for their employability including writing application letters, job interviewing skills, and developing communication skills as well as their personality.

	Can I find a co-op job on my own? Or do I only get a job placement in the company searched by the University?
	Answer:	No, you are not allowed to contact the workplace on your own because it might cause confusion. You are encouraged to apply for your co-op work at the companies which have been offering job placements for co-op students because CCECD is confident that these companies will treat the students according to the co-op principles. The CCECD has coordinated with the companies for students and informed them of the importance of the Cooperative Education practicum. Nevertheless, you can recommend the company you are interested in to the CCECD within the designated time. The CCECD will then examine if the company or the job matches your academic disciplines. Your Academic School must also approve of the job placement before your application submission.

	Can I accept a job offer then decline it later for the job offer in another workplace?
	Answer:	Once you have accepted a job offered from one workplace, you should not change it later to work for another workplace because the staff, budgeting, equipment, and the materials have already been prepared to support the co-op students’ work. Consequently, the change of the workplace might affect the next co-op job placement. In addition, according to the announcement of Suranaree University of Technology entitled “Pre-Co-op and Cooperative Education Practicum”, it states that if the result of the job placement is already announced, Co-op students must pursue their work at the companies that offered the placement. Resignation or postponement is not permitted except for illness in which case a medical certificate must be presented for the Dean’s consideration and approval.”

	What should I do if I am placed in the company which does not seem to understand the principles of Cooperative Education?
	Answer:	It is true that a few workplaces still do not perceive the principles of the Cooperative Education, especially the workplaces that offer job placement for the first time. In fact, the co-op principles have already been explained to the companies both orally and in written form. However, the best person to inform them is you, the co-op student who is working with them. If it is beyond your ability to do well, contact the co-op official urgently so that he/she can work out with the workplace to assign some qualified work related to the syllabus and relevant to your ability and needs. In addition, you can inform your supervising instructors about the problem during their site visits. That is one of the possible ways to solve the problem.

	What should I do if I am regularly assigned to do jobs like photo copying, and making coffee during the co-op job?
	Answer:	Photocopying and making coffee are jobs that don’t require a lot of qualifications. If these types of work are assigned to you on a regular basis during 16 weeks of the co-op work, you should appropriately display your potential by asking for other work or responsibilities related to your academic field that could be more practical and beneficial in developing the workplace. Moreover, the CCECD or the instructors should be informed of the problems so that they can discuss the matter with the employers for adaptation. If the problem cannot be solved and the workplace does not realize the importance of this practical training, the CCECD will have to decide to change the workplace. However, these types of work do not demand lots of elaborated skills or abilities to perform the tasks. Therefore, if you offer assistance at your convenience, you will be highly appreciated.

	How should I deal with the following situations? Job supervisors are not appointed and even if they are appointed, they are not frequently available to supervise the co-op students.
	Answer:	First, you should consult the Personnel Department or Human Resources of the company whose responsibility is to appoint job supervisors. Once you become familiar with the workplace, you can approach the experienced senior officials of the relevant disciplines to take this role. Then consult the Personnel Department and ask if they can be appointed. However, if you cannot handle the problems, contact the CCECD promptly for further assistance. If job supervisors are always engaged with something else or too busy to give consultation, try to contact them by sending a note or e-mail to make an appointment. When there is an opportunity to meet with them, you should ask if it is possible to set up a regular meeting for work assignment. The meeting with job supervisors should be at least half an hour per week. For each meeting, you should prepare topics to be discussed or to be consulted in order for the job supervisors to spend time productively. By all means, if the problem still exists, the Personnel Department or the CCECD should be informed for further assistance.

	If on the day the supervising instructors make a visit I cannot meet with them because of a sudden change of the work station, illness or inevitable reasons, how should I take appropriate actions?
	Answer:	Actually the supervising instructors’ visits have been scheduled in advance. You can check the schedules on the CCECD’s website or by phone. If you are busy, changing the workstation and/or taking a sick leave, you must inform the job supervisors and the CCECD of such absence immediately so as to have the visit schedules adjusted. The workplace’s rules and regulations regarding leave of absence must be strictly observed.

	If I want to register for the graduation during the co-op work term, what should I do ?
	Answer:	Just follow the same procedure as the regular students do or non-co-op students by filling in the information online through the Center for Educational Services (CES) website. But the graduation date (for the co-op students of the last trimester) will be the date when you have submitted a complete academic report and been evaluated with a passing grade.

	If I were evaluated with “Unsatisfactory” or ”U” for my co-op performance, would it be possible for me to apply for re-entry to the Co-op ? Would there be any companies that would accept me since I was graded as “U”?
	Answer:	It depends on the reasons why a student receives unsatisfactory evaluation. It must be examined on a case by case basis. If a student commits a serious misconduct, he/she is not allowed for re-entry to the co-op program but a co-op substitute course must be taken instead. Besides, the student committing misconduct will be penalized, as per normal practice for either a regular or co-op student. If the mistakes happened inadvertently, the co-op re-entry can be processed. However, whether to get the placement or not depends on how well a student presents himself or herself in the interview during the process of job application.

	How can I apply for international co-op?
	Answer:	The first approach is to apply for the co-op work term in the universities or companies where SUT has had networks. In each trimester the CCECD will announce the international job placements offered by overseas networking organizations such as CIMO in Finland, Mie University in Japan among others The second approach is to inform the CCECD of the country you wish to have your co-op practicum. Then write an English application letter and leave it with the CCECD. Your application will be further processed for you by the CCECD. Interested students can attend an international co-op preparation organized by the CCECD every trimester. Please contact the Job Development Division or call 044-223052

	Is it likely that I will get hired full-time upon graduation by the company I worked with during my co-op term?
	Answer:	Yes! If there is a vacancy at the time, if your qualifications meet the requirements, and if during the 16 weeks of co-op work term you have impressed your employer by working with full potentials and commitment to complete the assignments successfully. Consequently, the chance of being hired is definitely high.

	If I am ill and I need to be hospitalized during the co-op term, what procedure should I follow?
	Answer:	Firstly, notify the job supervisors or the workplace’s Personnel Department. Then notify the Center or the instructors of relevant Schools and your parents. To reimburse your medical expenses, see the details described in 4.5 regarding co-op students’ health and accident insurance.