Things You Need to Know When Hiring Students

June 02, 2013, by Stephanie Messier | Recruitment

There are various options for hiring students.  Here are some definitions that can help you determine what kind of student you may need:

Co-op Student:  Co-op students are registered in a recognized cooperative education program at a participating post-secondary institution working towards a specific diploma or degree.  Typically co-op work placements take place before a student graduates.  If you’re unsure what to pay a co-op student, universities often post their most recent pay grades online.  Check these examples out:

University of Waterloo

McMaster University

It’s important to note each university’s deadlines when posting co-op opportunities and for scheduling interviews, etc.  If you are late to the game, you may find that the best candidates have already been snatched up by your competitors.  The war for talent occurs on campus as well as in the labour market!

Youth Employment Program Student:  this is a student enrolled in a secondary or post-secondary institution within the last six months, but not registered in a co-op program.  These students may be looking for short-term opportunities, usually in summer.  Service Canada’s website has a list of programs that aids students in finding employment.

Intern:  An intern is someone who is employed in an internship program within an organization.  Usually, but not always, interns are recent post-secondary graduates.   A common example is students in the engineering field after completing a Bachelor degree program.   You should review the Ministry of Labour’s requirements when hiring an Intern. 

There are great benefits for businesses when hiring students.  Here are a few:

•   Whether they are co-ops or recent graduates, students are eager to learn new skills and can provide fresh perspectives.
•   They can ease the current employees’ workloads while developing new capabilities for future work experiences.
•   Student employment programs allow you to “try before you buy” by creating a cost-effective means to evaluate potential new hires.
•   Businesses can receive funding and credit opportunities from various sources when hiring students, e.g. Ontario’s Co-operative Education Tax Credit

It truly is a commitment to hire a student and ensure that they have a positive employment experience.  The student’s manager plays a pivotal role in this by identifying projects that are attractive and providing him or her with a beneficial learning experience.   You never know, your student hires could be your future workforce.  Not only that, they are often your current or future customers as well!