Cooperative Education and the Web: Linking Students, The Educational Institution and the Work Place

Abstract

The University of Waterloo and Academic Software Inc. are working together to develop a totally integrated Web based system, used by employers, students and the university for the student recruiting process, known at UW as the 'CECS.online Project'. Employers can use the Internet to make all their recruiting arrangements. Employers can submit jobs, book interview rooms, view resumes packages of students that have applied to their jobs and select students for interviews. After the interviews are completed the employers are able to rank the students for job matching and then to view the students that have accepted their positions. Students are set up in the system based on information downloaded from the main UW student information system. This gives students access to the CECS.online system where they can update their personal information and to develop up to 3 electronic resumes. Once this information is complete students are able to view jobs, apply to jobs and monitor interviews on the Web site. This paper reviews the features of the system and discuss the issues that have complicated the implementation of such a system.