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St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School
"Striving for Excellence in Catholic Education; to give our students a Purpose and Hope for Life."
905.507.6666
  • St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School
  • 50 Bristol Road West
  • Mississauga ON , L5R 3K3
  • Principal: Ferdinando Tantalo
  • Vice Principal(s): David Parisotto
    Derek McWilliam
    Joanne Le Prevost-Groves
    Daniella Gizzi
  • Superintendents: Dulcie Belchior
  • Trustee: Thomas Thomas (Mississauga Ward 5)
    Stefano Pascucci (Mississauga Ward 4)
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Cooperative Education

   Welcome to St. Francis Xavier S. S. Cooperative Education!  

*Attention all FX students! Are you seeking a unique experience and skills to assist you with your resume, part-time job and future career? Please complete the Co-op application below and submit it to your Guidance Counsellor, a.s.a.p. for Co-op in Gr. 11 and Gr. 12. You may enroll in Co-op up to three times to gain additional experience.  

                Check out our FX Instagram page for updated photos: stfx_insta 

 

Click here: Co-op Student Application Form.pdf

Co-op is also a mandatory component of SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major)

Click here: SHSM Student Application Form.pdf

What is Cooperative Education?

  • Co-op is a unique opportunity to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement in the community
  • Co-op provides an opportunity for career exploration and for students to explore their passion at a placement with one of our many local community partners
  • Co-op allows students to network and make connections with industry and sector professionals and gain valuable essential skills and work habits to be applied in post-secondary academic programs, part-time jobs, full time jobs and future careers
  • Many of our Co-op students are hired for part-time jobs at their Co-op placements

 

St Francis Xavier Secondary School Co-op Education         

 

Additional Information:

  • The St. F. X. S. S. Co-op Department has a wide variety of placements alligned with students' interests, such as elementary schools, law firms, accounting firms, hospitals, pharmacies, medical clinics, dental offices, veterinary hospitals, retail locations, bakeries, restaurants, travel agencies, hotels, physio and chiropractic clinics, graphic design firms, fitness organizations, automotive placements and many, many more - please see OYAP below, for additional placements in the apprenticeable trades  
  • We secure Co-op placements based on students' interests and passion
  • Students at FX are able to select either a 1 credit, 2 credit, 3 credit or 4 credit Co-op program and may enrol in Co-op a second or third time/semester in order to gain additional, valuable experience  

**Students may enrol in Co-op on its own or apply for one of our SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) programs of which Co-op is a mandatory component - for more information on SHSM, please access Guidance/Courses and select S. H. S. M. from the drop down menu**

 

What is OYAP?

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

  • Co-op students interested in the skilled trades are registered as youth apprentices through the OYAP (Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program) and are placed with organizations who work with the associated apprenticeable skilled trade
  • Some of the skilled trades include hairstylists (hair salon), bakers (bakery), cooks (restaurant), carpenters (carpentry organization), plumbers (plumbing organization), electricians (electrical company), arborists (arborist company), special events planners (associated company), child development practitioners (daycare), automotive service technicians (automotive shop), trucking technicians (trucking company), HVAC (HVAC company), to name a few - again, we secure placements based on students' interests and passion
  • Students are strongly encouraged to enrol in the 3 credit or 4 credit Co-op programs to ensure hours and competencies are met
  • OYAP Level 1 students complete 4 Credit Co-op during semester 2 of their Gr. 12 year - Please review the many choices listed in My Blueprint 

 

Additional Forms:

Informed Consent for Students Participating in Co-operative and PIP Workplace Experience Program

Co-operative Education Work Experience Confidentiality Statement

Parental/Guardian Permission for the Transportation of Secondary School Students - Co-operative Education and Work Experience Programs

What is Cooperative Education? Cooperative Education Fact Sheet Cooperative Education Fact Sheet.pdf

Cooperative Education/OYAP Fact Sheet Cooperative Education and OYAP Fact Sheet.pdf

What is OYAP? OYAP Poster - List and Chart of Skilled Trades OYAP Poster With Lists and Chart of Skilled Trades.pdf

OYAP Poster with Pathways for Apprenticeship, University and College OYAP Pathways Poster With Apprenticeship University College.pdf

OYAP Video

 

 

https://youtu.be/B70kPspsZaA  St. Francis Xavier S. S. Cooperative Education, SHSM, OYAP and Dual Credit Promotional Video Created by St. FXSS Students

Cooperative Education Powerpoint Presentation STFXSS 

Co-op and Workplace Experience Career Showcase Presentations 

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Career Showcase - Student Testimonials

What did you like the most about your Co-op placement?
(Trillium Health Partners - Mississauga Hospital Site - OM Fracture Clinic - Student: Sarah Adams, SHSM Health & Wellness program)
What I liked most about my placement was the people I got to meet and connect with. I had two other co-op students who had the same passion as me to go into the health care sector so it was nice talking to them and getting to know them and sharing the same passion. It was also nice to make connections with the technicians and surgeons and form a bond with them. They really made my time there welcoming and enjoyable and I wish I got to do the whole semester because it was so much fun.

 Job Description
(Diana Pasticceria Bakery/Restaurant - Student: Nicole Cardoza, SHSM Hospitality & Tourism program, OYAP Baker)
While I was at my placement, a day would usually consist of...
• Packaging and decorating sheet tray cakes, refilling the display cabinet with the larger pastries that I fill and decorate, decorate
and fill the small pastries, as well as cut fruit
• Some tasks that I don’t do every day are...
• Working the front of house, doing dishes and making coffee and espresso
What did you like the most about your placement?
• My favourite thing about being at the placement was seeing how a small local bakery runs, how they make their menus and how they interact with people. This information is very important to me, so I know what to or not to do when I open my own.
What are five highlights/notable facts about your placement?
• They have a wide variety of products, they act like a family and rely on each other, they are very good at time management, they have very affordable prices and are extremely meticulous with their work
What did you learn about the career that you were exploring?
• I learned that it is a very physical and demanding job, it is not sitting at a desk all day. Which is exactly what I want, I love being up, moving around and doing things.
How did the placement supervisor and team confirm your choice in the particular career at your placement?
• They all really appreciated me being there and since it is a small environment, everyone is watching out for one another. I cannot wait to
be in this kind of setting of my own and have the kind of connection with others that make working together not feel like a job.
What would you recommend to others who are interested in pursuing the same career?
• I would recommend they get as much experience as they can. It is very helpful. I would also recommend they enjoy it. I have realized coming into any kitchen, to leave all my stress and anxiety at the door. It is a place I can be myself and do the thing I love. Always do what you love doing so it never feels like a job!

 Job Description
(Canadian Tire Auto - Student: Kirsten D'Souza, SHSM Transportation program, OYAP Automotive Service Technician)  
While I was at my Co-op placement at Canadian Tire, my job description/duties as an Assistant included the following tasks:
- Keeping work area/ shop clean
- Oil change
- Tire rotation
- Brake light changes
- Basic car maintenance
Some additional tasks that I learned and mastered were:
- how to clean brakes
- how to replace filters (cabin/engine)
- Finding holes in tires
Future Career Trends:
The future of becoming an Auto Body Technician is still in high demand. Each year billions of people take their car to an auto shop for maintenance and each year there are more drivers on the road. Which means more cars to work on. Though eventually when most of us decide to start driving electric vehicles the demand will slowly decrease for maintenance shops.  When this happens you can still be useful at a Car Factory. Which in the end could be better since you would not fix cars but build them. There is also more variety in them.

 Essential Skills
(Moe Mind Designs Inc. - Student: Beatriz Ramizo)
I demonstrated and enhanced the following Essential skills while working at my co-op placement:
Oral Communication by asking my coworkers for help and advice.
Working with Others by helping my coworkers performing tasks.
Continuous Learning by continuously being taught new skills and being told new tasks.
Some additional Essential Skills include:
Numeracy by calculating the number of clothing and organizing them according to their colour, size, and type.
Writing by taking down notes, lists, tips, and tasks needed to be done.

 What did you like most about your placement?
(Onare Salon - Student: Hannah Turner, OYAP Hairstylist)
I enjoyed meeting new people and learning more about working in the field of cosmetology.
What are five highlights∕notable facts about your placement?
Gaining experience of working in a salon.
Learning how to interact with customers.
Shadowing an assistant during her daily tasks.
Meeting new people and getting to know the staff members there.
Learning how to shampoo hair according to the client’s preference.
What did you learn about the career that you were exploring?
 I learned that it’s not as scary as I thought to work in a salon. I expected it to be a more pressuring environment. When working with the right people, you become more comfortable in the place you’re working which makes it seem a little bit easier.

Why become a nurse? 
(Trillium Health Partners - Credit Valley Hospital Site - General Medicine Unit 2C - Student: Patrycja Paczocha, SHSM Health & Wellness Student)
To make a difference in the lives of as many patients as you can.
You will be able to continue learning new skills everyday, no day will be the same.
Nurses are always needed and will be needed all over the world.
It allows you to put a smile on someone’s face.
You can build positive relationships with patients, staff members and family visiting their relatives in the hospital.
YOU BECOME A ROLE MODEL AND IN A WAY A SUPERHERO!!

How did your team confirm your career choice?
(Cora on Eglinton - Student: Melanie Trinh, SHSM Hospitality & Tourism program, OYAP Cook)  
How experience can help inspire
Working alongside experienced and determined chefs allowed me to confirm my career decision and be certain of the path I want to follow in the future. Working with others enables you to pool your ideas and see problems from different perspectives. Working in a group situation, I was able to attempt tasks that could not be accomplished by myself, combining a variety of skills and experience to new things.
Advice for the Future
Learn everything you can. You made a commitment to work there, keep that commitment throughout your stay there. Enjoy the moment.Relax and breathe during busy atmospheres. Take your time, slow down, and realize where you are. Don’t worry about the future, just live in the now and work hard.
Take advantage of others' experiences. Ask your coworkers questions and expand your culinary knowledge.

Grade 8 Night

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Co-op Retreat at Silver Creek Conservation Area

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Dragon's Den, Humber College with SHSM Hospitality & Tourism Students

Dragon's Den, Humber College with SHSM Hospitality & Tourism Students 

SHSM and Co-op Promotional Trip to Ripley's Aquarium and the Christmas Market

with Grade 10 Students  

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