Cadetship VS Co-op (2 Viewers)

[seremify007]

Its never too late- and be creative in where you get involved. Its quality not quantity so if you start doing charity work such as door knock appeal or helping out with a club or society either within your school or in your community, it doesn't hurt.

 

[z600]

Co-op industrial placement varies depending on which stream you get into (e.g. finance, IT, marketing etc.) But it's usually around 18 months, however my Co-op friend says that it's "dodgy", though I'm not quite sure what she meant by this..

To answer your question, I would choose a cadetship over a co-op any day. I was offerred cadetships from various companies and a co-op, so I was contemplating the same question just a year ago. Basically, I chose a cadetship because:
1) It pays better (Co-op - you only get $15 000/year, but with cadetships, it's usually more depending on the company and the hours you work, plus the company normally pays for your textbooks and uni fees (around an extra $8000 + that you won't have to spend).
2) You get more work experience, which is going to look more impressive on your resume. Compare 'I worked 4 years at a major company' with 'I have 18 months of 'industrial training''
3) You actually get involved in the culture of the company. Being a regular employee, you get to know your fellow colleagues/superiors and interact with them on a daily basis, so you can enhance your interpersonal skills/corporate ettiquette. Also, at my company, we have major staff parties which are really fun. I went to one last week and I had a great time.
4) UNSW overhypes its 'Coop program'. Seriously, it's not as amazing as they say it is and it isn't that hard to get in.
5) The promoter of the UNSW Co-op program told me 'to take the cadetship' when I presented my situation with her.

1) Yes, but at the end cadets work more hours through their degree. So you get paid according to your time spent working...

2) Co-ops get to write, I worked at 3 DIFFERENT major companies and different divisions

3) Dont see how that different from a co-op IT

4) Its call marketing

5) There is a new team of people at co-op

 

[seremify007]

2) Co-ops get to write, I worked at 3 DIFFERENT major companies and different divisions

3) Dont see how that different from a co-op IT

Because you haven't actually worked it is a bit harder to explain but basically one is a full time employee and all that entails, whilst the other is 3 internships.

Funnily enough in the current GFC, job security (or even the prospects of job offers) have become an issue in the cadet vs. coop debate. It may not be an issue by the time you guys are due to graduate, but it's still something worth evaluating in tossing up between which position you feel is more suited to the way you want to work and study.

 

[seremify007]

How stressful is a cadetship? Do you usually work full time and study full time at uni at night classes? Would it be more beneficial to gain a cadetship at a smaller (not a miteir or Big 4 company) company?

As stressful as you choose to make it. Some people prefer to take it upon themselves but at the end of the day, your work colleagues know you are fresh out of high school and have university commitments- but it just gives you more opportunities to exceed the expectation IMO. The real challenge is probably just staying awake for the first month or so, but once you are used to full time employment, it isn't too bad. In my time we did part time study since we only got 4 hours off per week, but some of us (myself included) have overloaded and taken on either 3 or 4 (full time load) level of subjects and still managed to maintain decent (not excellent) marks.

Difficult to compare and contrast experience in a smaller firm as I haven't worked in one before but from what I've heard, being in a smaller firm doesn't mean your life is going to be any easier/harder- it's more just a different type of work arising from different scope and scale of clients.

 

[thorz]

hey guys, just a quick question;

obviously cadetships are focused towards the accounting aspect of business, and from what i was told at a careers night with the co-op program (at UNSW i think) you can nominate what industry you want to be in; accounting, finance, actuarial studies etc.

anyway if I wanted to focus mainly on finance to hopefully lead to a career somewhat like investment or merchant banking is there any point in a cadetship or not really?

thanks

 

[omniscience]

hey guys, just a quick question;

obviously cadetships are focused towards the accounting aspect of business, and from what i was told at a careers night with the co-op program (at UNSW i think) you can nominate what industry you want to be in; accounting, finance, actuarial studies etc.

anyway if I wanted to focus mainly on finance to hopefully lead to a career somewhat like investment or merchant banking is there any point in a cadetship or not really?

thanks

no, go straight to stripping

 

[lyounamu]

hey guys, just a quick question;

obviously cadetships are focused towards the accounting aspect of business, and from what i was told at a careers night with the co-op program (at UNSW i think) you can nominate what industry you want to be in; accounting, finance, actuarial studies etc.

anyway if I wanted to focus mainly on finance to hopefully lead to a career somewhat like investment or merchant banking is there any point in a cadetship or not really?

thanks

There isn't much point in cadetship then in my opinion. But I really recommend you to have a shot at applying anyway because you never know...you can change your mind and you might increasingly become aware of the benefits that cadetship might hold for you. Or it might turn out that cadetship IS beneficial in helping you get there .

I have the same problem really. Even though I am not complete sure as to what I want to do in future, my idea is to go into business-related enterprise which relates heavily with finance, actuarial. But according to my career adviser, doing accounting is a very good idea for me to fulfil that dream because accounting skill is essential if you want to gain important knowledge about business.

 

[seremify007]

Just wanted to add that both before GFC and even moreso now, finance still is by far, the most competitive of all the (business) coops in UNSW to get into. Congrats to those who get offered.

 

[lyounamu]

Just wanted to add that both before GFC and even moreso now, finance still is by far, the most competitive of all the (business) coops in UNSW to get into. Congrats to those who get offered.

agreed.

There are like only 6-7 places (last year) available...while having the most number of applicants out there...

gosh, it would be any applicant's dream to get that.