Program Overview

Co-operative Education Program

The AUT Business School has developed a highly successful workplace experience program called Co-operative Education. This program is a key point of difference for the degree and has strong support from employers and industry.

Benefits of the Program

The Co-operative Education program provides students with a transition between their studies and the business world, and gives companies access to talented and motivated final-year students. Students apply their classroom learning to real situations and problems, and develop aspects of their professional practice.

Placement Details

• The minimum requirement is for a student to work full-time in the workplace over a 9-week period (300-330 hours in total or 35-37.5 hours a week).
• Students can also choose to do a gig option for their placement, which allows for placements in two organizations for 15 to 20 hours each during the 9 weeks of the placement period.
• Many students have a longer placement, for example, a 3-month placement that starts before and ends after the 9-week compulsory period.
• Other students incorporate their Co-operative Education into their full-time, permanent employment.

Companies that Have Hosted Students

Some companies that have hosted students include:

• One NZ
• The Warehouse Group
• PwC
• Farmers Trading Ltd
• Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
• Auckland District Health Board
• Perpetual Guardian
• China Construction Bank
• KVB Kunlun

Student Experiences

Students have reported positive experiences in the program, including:

• Gaining hands-on practical experience with processes or tasks related to their field of study
• Developing their professional practice and applying classroom learning to real situations and problems
• Bringing fresh ideas, youthful energy, and enthusiasm to the organization
• Contributing to the organization through specific tasks and projects

Examples of Student Placements

Examples of student placements include:

• Sharra Ann Maxwell, Bachelor of Business in Accounting, who was placed in Deloitte's Auckland office
• Dilon Kumar, Bachelor of Business in Accounting and Marketing, who was placed with Finex Chartered Accountants
• Lucian Simmons, Bachelor of Business in Finance, Economics, and International Business, who worked on the development and execution of a crisis simulation exercise for financial services companies in Hong Kong
• Bronson Wilson, Bachelor of Business in Marketing, Advertising, Retailing, and Sales, who managed marketing materials and created email campaigns and sales pitch presentations for TomTom in the Netherlands
• Olivia Bollen, Bachelor of Business in Marketing, Advertising, Retailing, and Sales, who worked directly with the sales teams and created pitches for Spotify clients.