The SFU Co-op Program uses a continuous placement model through the myExperience website.

If you have questions about how to use myExperience, or need help troubleshooting an issue, please review the Quick Tips - Co-op document and the myExperience Manual. If you still have questions or issues, please e-mail my_experience@sfu.ca.

Jobs are posted on the myExperience system daily. Any released students interested in the position may apply. Students should have at least some of the required skills.

Take the time to create a customized cover letter for each position. Save documents with a descriptive name (e.g. Cover Letter - Employer - Job Title). You must upload all application package documents (SIS, cover letter, resume and transcript) to myExperience before applying to a job posting.

Some myExperience positions will instruct you to apply directly to the company through their corporate website, however, we ask you to apply to the job position posted on myExperience as well. In this case you may be contacted directly by the employer to arrange an interview. You are required to notify the Co-op office immediately.

Each student will have a different set of skills and experiences they bring to their co-op search, and will have different goals for their future. Here are a few tips to help you develop a successful job search strategy for you.

Cover Letters: Take the time to create a customized cover letter for each position. Research the company, write a targeted introduction that tells them your interest/aptitude for the company/job/project/product, identify the key ways you meet the job’s criteria, and provide specific details and examples to prove this in your letter. To ensure you attach the right letter to each application, save documents with a descriptive name (e.g. Cover Letter - Employer - Job Title)

Interview Resources: Resources are available at the Co-op office to assist you in preparing for your interviews, including Interview Feedback forms and Student Work Term Evaluations. Please take a moment to complete an Interview Feedback form after your interviews, and send it to the Co-op office to assist other students.If you don’t have time to make an appointment with a Career Adviser or Co-op Coordinator, SFU Interviewstream is here to help! SFU Work Integrated Learning has licensed Interviewstream so that SFU students and alumni can practice recorded interviews from the comfort of their own home. All you need is a webcam and internet and you are ready to go. To get started, create an account using your SFU email address. Note: Accounts created with a non-SFU email address will be deleted.

Examine Your Options: Consider a research or self-directed co-op (see details below).

Interviews: Once applications have been sent to the employer they may or may not choose to shortlist and interview. It is the student’s responsibility to check myExperience every day for scheduled interviews and to search through new job postings. If an employer contacts you directly for an interview you must inform the co-op office by emailing fascoop@sfu.ca.

Co-op interviews may be scheduled on myExperience, or directly through the Co-op office. If you are shortlisted for a position, you will notice an interview alert link on your myExperience account or you will be called and/or emailed. Anything else means you have not been scheduled for an interview. Please check your myExperience account, email, and voice mail at least once per day during your seeking term.

On-campus interviews will be arranged by the Sustainable Energy Engineering Co-op Office at either the Burnaby or Surrey. Off-campus interviews are also common and students should plan to be at the employer site well in advance of the scheduled interview time (10-15 minutes ahead of schedule).

Offers: Typically, employers contact the Co-op Office with offers for co-op placements. If an employer makes an offer to you directly, you must inform the co-op office by emailing seecoop@sfu.ca immediately before responding to the employer. Should you have any concerns or questions, please discuss them with your Coordinator. The Co-op office will help you cancel any outstanding interviews you have scheduled and drop you from courses if it is past the course drop deadline.

Once you have received an offer letter, sign it and e-mail it to the Co-op office.

If you do not have a job by the time the registration deadline arrives, register for courses. Only the co-op office can process your course drop after the deadline date to avoid penalties if you are successful in securing a co-op term.

Late Round: Towards the end of the seeking semester, the Co-op office moves into “Late Round”. As you get busier with your exams and final projects for the semester, we continue posting jobs but most of them may not require cover letters.

In order to be eligible to participate in Late Round, students must be actively participating in the Co-op seeking process throughout the semester through myExperience and/or a self-directed job search that is documented. To assist students in documenting their self-directed job search, please use our Job Search Record.

Developing Your Skills:

If you are having difficulty securing a Co-op work term, have maintained a high level of activity and effort, and have worked with your Coordinator to market yourself as effectively as possible, you may find that you need to increase or diversify the skills and experiences you have on your resume. Getting involved in student groups, professional associations (through student membership) and/or specialized training can be a great way to stand out from your competition! Here are some ideas:

Sustainable Energy Engineering-specific groups at SFU:
Sustainable Energy Engineering Student Society (Coming Soon)
Engineers Without Borders
Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers – SFU Chapter
Women in Engineering Group
Women in Cleantech

Other SFU groups:
Leadership and Mentorship opportunities
Student Clubs - entire list

Industry Associations:
Association for Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC
BC Sustainable Energy Association
BC Technology Industry Association