COOP Careers Fellowship

The Apprentice and Apprenticeship language we have historically used no longer accurately describes what we do and whom we serve. Generally speaking, an apprenticeship is understood to be a paid employment opportunity.

Through a great deal of conversation, collaboration and research, we agreed that Fellowship better describes our flagship program.

We know now is the right time to make this important and impactful change.

We believe that COOP Careers Fellowship better conveys the benefits our program offers: support, peer connections, near-peer coaches, and alumni community. There is also a general understanding that fellowships can be either paid or unpaid and that fellows receive other benefits such as access to resources, mentorship, networking opportunities, and a focused environment for intellectual work and professional development—all of which are opportunities that COOP provides.

We will also use career accelerator as a descriptor in conjunction with Fellowship, as it more accurately represents the outcomes we provide; network, connections, direct access to jobs, interviewing skills, resume and LinkedIn support. 

Lastly, our participants will officially be called Fellows. However, the term COOPer will still be used internally as a term of inclusion and endearment, in the familial way it is currently used. Fellows who complete the program will continue to be called Alumni.