Student success in cooperative education: A comparison of remote and in-person workplace performance evaluations

Cooperative education (co-op) programs combine coursework and work internships and have become popular worldwide. Using over 45,000 performance evaluations collected separately for in-person (2019) and remote (2021) internship positions, this study uncovered the characteristics of successful co-op students. Each evaluation included an overall performance rating and written comments and recommendations provided by the supervisor. By using logistic regression and word frequency counting to analyze supervisors' general and recommendation comments, the most successful students were found to be excellent leaders and innovators, with remote students also being praised for their independence. Remote students were encouraged to be innovative and learn technological skills, while in-person students should improve oral communication and presentation abilities. These findings highlight important skills that students should acquire in their early careers.