This page provides interns with basic information required to participate in the CIEP program. Please take the time to read all of the information contained on this page.

IMPORTANT NOTES BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR AN INTERNSHIP POSITION

• If you have questions about any part of the CIEP program, please review the documentation on these and other CIEP pages. You may also wish to download the review the CIEP Host Guide or other forms included in the 'Related Documents' link at the bottom of this page.  We very strongly discourage you from calling On Co-op directly to confirm information that exists on this website.
• Due to the staggeringly high volume of applications and resumes received for the available internship positions, failure to follow the application guidelines may result in your application not being processed.
• You MUST meet all the internship eligibility criteria (see below). There can be no exceptions to this!
• You MUST send your application by email to ciep@ontario.coop, AND include the position you are applying for in the subject line.
• You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been received by our email system. We cannot respond personally to requests about the status of your application beyond the email confirmation you will receive. 

You should know …

1. This is not a school-based co-op placement in the traditional sense. It is a “co-operative internship” because intern placements are held with host employers who are made up of co-operatives and credit unions located across the province of Ontario.
2. This internship program is designed specifically for YOUTH (30 and under), as a means to provide this demographic with relevant work experience after completing their post-secondary studies. This criteria is stipulated in our contractual agreement with Service Canada under the Youth Employment Strategy program, and is by no means meant to be age discriminatory. Other programs exist for individuals who do not meet this criteria, and you are encouraged to contact your local employment agency for more information on other employment programs. 

INTERN ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The Co-operative Internship and Experience Program is a partnership agreement between the funder, Service Canada and the administrator, On Co-op. It is designed specifically to provide youth, who have recently graduated from a post-secondary institution, with an opportunity to build on their career skills and gain meaningful work experience.

In order to be eligible to participate in the CIEP, all candidates MUST:

• be 30 years of age or under
• be a recent university or college graduate
• not be enrolled in a university or college course (at the time of application/participation)
• be available for full-time employment (35 hours per week)
• be a Canadian citizen or legally entitled to work in Canada
• not have received EI benefits for 3 years preceding the time of application, or currently be receiving or be eligible for EI benefits
• Has never participated in a Youth Employment Strategy (YES) internship in the past

Below are further details on the eligibility criteria:

• “Recent” university or college graduate means the more recent the date of graduation the better. However, an intern may have graduated some time ago and still be eligible, as long as they have no work experience related to their field of study.
• “Be available for full-time employment (35 hours per week)” means just that—interns are required to work 35 hours each week, as per the schedule set out by the host employer. Interns can still have a part-time job if they already had one previously, but in no way can this interfere with the timing of the internship, the working hours required by the employer, or the job performance.  
• “Not currently receiving ... EI benefits” means an intern cannot be on EI while on the internship.
  • If an applicant has applied for EI within the past 3 years, but they did not receive it, they must provide an official letter proving that their benefits were denied.
  • Applicants who had an active EI claim more than 3 years prior to the time of application may have to provide proof via an official letter stating that their EI was terminated on a specific date, otherwise it could still show up as an active claim.
  • This internship program is specifically designed for underemployed youth who are lacking work experience in their field. Consequently, they should not be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. There are other job programs that exist for individuals who have been on EI in the past three years.
• Any candidate who is invited to participate in an interview will be asked to provide a SIN number and birthdate, so that their eligibility may be confirmed by Service Canada.

If you meet ALL these criteria, then please, read on! If you are not eligible for the program, we encourage you to investigate other internship or job placement programs offered by other types of organizations that may be geared to integrate diverse demographics into the working world.

APPLYING FOR A POSITION

To gain a better understanding of what kind of internship program you are applying for, as well as your obligations and responsibilities, check out the CIEP General Overview page.

The following 8 steps outline the process for applying to the CIEP:

1. Candidate meets the eligibility criteria outlined above.
2. Candidate reads job postings on Service Canada Job Bank and/or the detailed job descriptions posted to this website (once they are made available for public viewing).
3. Candidate determines which position(s) they are interested in and qualified for and emails a copy of cover letter and resume to CIEP Project Manager by the application deadline -- clearly identifying which position they are applying for and in which city the job is located, in the subject line of the email.
   Two things to note: (1) Any emails received without this information will not be considered, due to the sheer influx of resumes we receive for this program in a very restricted period of time, and (2) Candidates must send a separate cover letter and resume for each position they are applying for.
4. On Co-op screens resumes to ensure that (1) candidate meets basic eligibility requirement, and (2) candidate’s education and area of interest are suitable matches for the host employer’s needs and requirements.
5. On Co-op then forwards cover letters and resumes to the host employers for consideration. At this point, it is entirely up to the host employer to determine which candidates they would like to meet. 
6. Host employer contacts top candidates to set up an interview.
7. Interview takes place and host employer makes a hiring decision, and notifies all candidates interviewed of the results. 
8. Intern is hired and completes all the required paperwork with host employer before beginning the placement.

Important: Resumes emailed to ciep@ontario.coop will be automatically acknowledged by On Co-op. Do not fax or mail your resume to On Co-op or the host organization, or send to any other email addresses at On Co-op.  Intern candidates are strongly discouraged from contacting On Co-op to inquire further about the status of their application. We receive far too many resumes to track individually and unfortunately we simply do not have the time to provide this level of attention to each application!

INTERN OBLIGATIONS

1. Timing and Fulfillment: Candidates must be available to begin work on the date specified by the internship program, and work 35 hours per week. There is no flexibility on the start and end dates of the program, and interns are expected to complete the entire 26-week placement from start to finish.
2. Compensation and Timesheets: Interns will be paid bi-weekly by the host employer at the determined rate (minimum rate is $13.25/hour). They will be paid mandatory employment related costs (vacation, CPP, EI). There is no vacation entitlement during the course of the internship, and interns should discuss any required days off with their host during the interview stage, to determine how the time will be made up. Interns must submit a monthly timesheet (see below) to On Co-op by the 5th day of each month (for the previous month), so that their host organization can be reimbursed.
3. 3-Day Workshop Series: Candidates must attend a mandatory “Skills Enhancement & Workshop Series” located at the Royal Inn and Suites  in Guelph, Ontario. The conference usually takes place within the first 6 weeks of the internship, and interns are paid by their host employer as regular days worked. While interns are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from the conference, all travel costs for the 3-day workshop series will be fully reimbursed to them. In addition, On Co-op will arrange for and cover the cost of all meals and accommodations during the entire conference. Interns must submit an Expense Report (see below), along with original copies of travel receipts to and from the conference, in order to be reimbursed.
4. Site Visits: At some point during the internship, the CIEP Project Manger may chose to conduct a “check-in” by phone and/or a site visit in person, with both intern and host at a mutually convenient time. These are informal talks or visits to evaluate how the internship is progressing. Interns are encouraged to contact the CIEP Project Manager at any point during the program, should they have any questions or concerns.
5. Final Evaluations: Interns will be required to complete some paperwork at the end of the internship, including a final evaluation form. This information is mainly used to compile information for Service Canada, evaluate the internship, and to provide On Co-op with feedback and testimonials to be used for promotion of the program.

All required forms for the program can be found below in the related items.

Everything you need to know to become a CIEP intern.