In today’s competitive job market, students and advisors are increasingly looking for ways to assess the value of academic programs. One of the strongest indicators of a program’s labor market value is its use of paid work-based experiences that complement classroom learning, such as cooperative education (co-op) placements. Employer sponsorship of paid work experiences is a sure sign that they value the training provided by co-op programs to meet their hiring needs.
The Benefits of Co-op Work Experiences
Colleges collaborate with employers to create paid co-op work experiences that allow students to:
- Gain industry-relevant, hands-on experience directly related to their studies
- Earn academic credit from their university along with a paycheck from the employer
- Build valuable professional connections with potential future employers
The co-op model is most closely associated with Northeastern University, which pioneered the use of paid co-op placements in its four- and five-year bachelor’s degree programs. But now the power of co-op education is coming to associate degree programs.
Franklin Cummings Tech: Leading the Way in Paid Co-Ops
Franklin Cummings Tech (FCT) has made a bold commitment to integrate paid co-op learning opportunities into all of its associate degree programs. Since launching its expanded co-op model in 2024, the college has steadily increased opportunities for students to gain paid, hands-on experience with employer partners while earning academic credit. Today, co-op experiences are integrated across all associate degree programs, including Automotive Technology, Construction Management, Building Energy Management, HVAC&R Technology, Mechatronics, Practical Electricity, Renewable Energy Technology, Cybersecurity, Biotech, and Opticianry. FCT’s co-op program offers students 1,200 hours of paid, hands-on experience while they pursue their associate degree. The co-op is structured as full-time during the summer and part-time during the academic year. Students work with top employers who offer a clear path to full-time employment if the student meets the expectations of the co-op, earning at least $20 per hour during their co-op. Every co-op student takes part in the college’s Co-op Seminar, a 42-hour class on how to get and keep a great job. Students will explore proven, evidence-based practices that lead to professional success, including self-awareness, building connections, energy and stress management, habit formation, growth mindset, meaning and purpose, and goal-setting.
Each student is paired with a co-op coach who helps them thrive in the workplace. The coach conducts bi-weekly check-ins with both the student and employer and makes regular workplace visits to ensure success. Additionally, students earn academic credit for completing the co-op, helping them graduate sooner.
Middlesex Community College’s Learn and Earn Program
Middlesex Community College (MCC) is another example of how colleges are integrating co-ops into their programs. MCC’s Learn and Earn initiative in biotechnology combines classroom learning with paid internships, allowing students to gain real-world experience in the biotech industry. Students in the Learn and Earn program work full time in the biotechnology industry while attending classes outside of the work schedule to obtain their associate degree within two years.
Smith Family Foundation’s Push for More
A strong advocate of the work-based education model, the Smith Family Foundation is investing in the development of new community college programs that combine paid on-the-job training with classroom learning, initially to provide an advancement pathway for employees of participating firms. The Foundation is collaborating with community colleges, such as Massachusetts Bay Community College and Bunker Hill Community College, and employers to create what they are calling “Apprenticeship Degrees” in fields such as health, behavioral health, and education. These programs will include an even heavier dose of paid on-the-job training to help employees of participating firms move up to higher-skilled positions.
Programs like those at Franklin Cummings Tech, Middlesex Community College, and those provided through the Smith Family Foundation are leading the way in ensuring that students graduate not only with a degree but also with hands-on experience and a head start in their careers.
Susan Goldberger is a co-founder of NextGen Talent and provides pro bono product management services for NextGen’s data products. She also serves as a Senior Project Manager at the Burning Glass Institute, a non-profit data analytics firm focused on advancing the goals of equity and inclusion in the new economy. Susan holds a Ph.D. in Social Policy from the Heller School and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University.
