Students in the Department of English, Drama & Creative Writing can apply to enter the co-operative education program, allowing them to gain experience and earn money while attaining their university degree. Students who successfully complete three Co-op work term placements are awarded a Co-operative Education degree designation when they graduate from Brandon University.

To enter the co-op program, English students must have a minimum GPA of 2.7, must have completed 30 credit hours, and must have completed the following two prerequisites: 30.145 and 30.147.

Be sure to check out the homepage of BU’s co-operative education program, and pay close attention to the co-op requirements outlined in the current course calendar.

Co-Op Success Story: Joelene Biletski

            My name is Joelene Biletski, and I took the co-op work placement program in 2021. I had many different opportunities as part of the co-op program, even despite the Covid restrictions that were in place. Through the co-op program I got to meet and connect with so many other students in different faculties and programs that I would not otherwise have had the same opportunity to meet with. I was also invited to attend events such as the Brandon Chamber lunch and alumni events to connect with students past and present and develop relationships with other professionals in the Brandon community. As well, I was able to develop connections with the program leaders and coordinators that have them reaching out and continuing to follow up on my educational and professional career long after the program itself has ended with different opportunities, advice, or even just to check in and say hi!

            I chose the co-op program to work both towards developing my practical skills in my future work field and work towards my university degree by earning credit through the program. It presented a unique opportunity to align these different goals together to help put me ahead in the job search after university graduation. My summer work placement was working with PBC Multi-Media helping develop and write short information pieces on different tourist areas of interest across Manitoba, helping to support local communities and businesses. It was a wonderful opportunity that allowed me to help support and connect with local businesses and communities to learn about what they had to offer and bring more attention to them.

            For my future, I am going to be graduating this summer with my B. Ed After Degree, with a focus on teaching senior years English and social studies. I am going to be looking for employment opportunities with different schools, and the interview and resume-writing skills the co-op program helped me hone and develop will be crucial in helping me enter the education field.

Co-op Success Story: Randy McLeod

“The Co-op program has been incredibly useful in expanding my understanding of job opportunities that are applicable to my degree in the English department. I joined the program in 2023 to begin acquiring professional experience in writing, and quickly found employment at Westman Communications Group (WCG)  in the marketing department. Since then, I have become proficient at external and internal communications and have contributed to a variety of successful campaigns, such as The Connecting Westman Tour and the WCG Technology Scholarship. Co-op allowed me to find a job that applies the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired from my schooling. As a result of my Co-op term through the summer, I have been hired full-time as the marketing coordinator for WCG. I aspire to end up in a writing-centric field of work in the future and I now feel far more confident searching for employment after the practical work experience from my time at WCG and the encouragement and guidance of the Co-op program.”

Co-op Success Story: Lily Hodgson

I chose to add Co-op to my degree because I wanted to get work experience in a field I actually cared about. Cora and the Co-op program helped me find opportunities related to copy editing, marketing, and publishing, which is a big step closer to my future career in book editing. Thanks to the résumé, cover letter, and interview skills Co-op helped me develop, I have had the opportunity to interview for a wide variety of related roles. For this summer I have secured a well-paying full-time position with the Manitoba Youth Job Centre, planning, organizing, and promoting a program that I am passionate about. I would definitely recommend the Co-op program to fellow English students who are having difficulty finding summer jobs that align with their career goals!