Have you ever asked yourself why you wish to pursue an MBA? If you asked most undergraduates, they would tell you that what matters more than the high earning potential and glossy downtown condominium is the opportunity to eventually secure a position in a respectable, successful company — to be paired with a high-octane mover and shaker in the fields of business, marketing, finance, or economics.What better way to test-drive a career is business or finance than by choosing an MBA with a co-op option, which will allow you to gain valuable real-life work experience, while also exploring a new industry related to your field of study — all while completing a master’s degree in business?
Co-op internship education marries academic study with work terms that offer practical experience that can be applied directly to your academic course of study. If you pursue an MBA that offers a co-op placement, you will be paid in valuable work experience, which is supervised and evaluated by both the employer and your university. This experience will pay dividends when you apply for your first position, and may even strengthen your first employment package.
Co-operative education will also give you the opportunity to text the classroom skills you have developed in an actual workplace setting and also provides you with a chance to practice the latest theories and approaches on the frontlines of your discipline. The company you work with will become a key partner in your educational process as their participation ensures that you will receive a well-rounded education in both the classroom and the workforce. These businesses also benefit from the partnership since you will be bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas, as well as moxie and enthusiasm to the workplace.
A co-op placement is the perfect kick-start to your career, as it will show you where you excel, and where you may still need improvement, and will also help you pinpoint the specific fields of the business world that truly interest you — as well as those that don’t! Pursuing an MBA with a co-op option allows you to vet a specific area of business before you dive in — potentially saving you from a painful career switch down the road.
The Laurier Full-Time MBA with Co-op option is specifically designed for high-aptitude, driven students with fewer than two years of work experience. Whether you crave valuable practical work experience or are interested in exploring a specific industry, the co-op option will help you gain much-needed business resources, and will also help you better locate the right job once you graduate.
Launched in 1976, Wilfrid Laurier University’s co-op program in business was the first such program in Ontario, and Laurier currently has the largest business degree co-op program in Canada. Laurier’s reputation in business education is the reason why so many leading Canadian companies seek out business students for co-op opportunities — positions which often lead to full-time employment opportunities down the road.For the past several years, Laurier has consistently had a 100% employment rate for students during their co-op work terms. In any given year, there are over 3,000 job postings from 714 organizations on offer.
The Laurier MBA with co-op option has a number of advantages you should consider if you want to make the most out of your business degree. First of all, getting paid while earning a degree is better than sticking to strict classwork, as your earnings will helpto offset the cost of tuition. You will also gain eight months of valuable work experience in multiple industries of your choice, which will, of course, open doors for your future employment. Finally, with a program length of only 20 months, you will be able to jump-start your career earlier than with other MBA co-op programs. Examples of positions held by Laurier co-op students include equity research associates, data and analytic associates, analysts in capital market risk management, trade and market researchers and analysts, as well as investment banking analysts.
So, if you want the best that an MBA program has to offer in Canada, remember that cooperative education is the bridge between students, employers, and academic training, and benefits everyone involved. Laurier’s MBA with Co-op internship option will give you a head start to finding your perfect career in business. The business world is fast-paced — so don’t get left behind!
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