Each year, Motiva offers several students from local high schools the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through a program called Cooperative Office Education (COE). The program specifically focuses on preparing students for business careers in office management and operations.
This year, Stacy Carroll and Jacqueline Frois of Destrehan High School, Jennifer Landry and Katrisha Loupe of Hahnville High School and De Shaun Smith of West St. John High School represent the COE team.
“We’ve been participating in the St. Charles/St. John COE for over 14 years,” Paula Petit, the program’s coordinator, said. “We are really proud of the program and have been able over the years to give local high school students a chance to gain real-world work experience prior to their high school graduation.”
While the official program operates between August and May, Motiva also offers participants the opportunity to work in the summer. This way, students are onboard long enough to be assigned to several different departments, learning different processes and experiences along the way.
“My experience at Motiva has not only opened doors for me in terms of my future,” Frois said, “but working here has also allowed me to meet wonderful people who have made me feel welcome in their work environment.”
COE students attend classes at their respective high schools during morning hours and work at Motiva afternoons. During school holidays and summers, COE students may work full days, if the department workload justifies it.
Students earn $6.25 per hour and a grade for their work. Each student’s supervisor provides an evaluation for the grade period, determining approximately half the student’s grade average.
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