The Co-op Program combines classroom theory with practical work experience related to students’ academic studies and career goals. Students work full-time in paid positions in industry, business, or government. Co-ops provide students with multiple work rotations with an employer and may require the student to alternate terms of full-time academic coursework with terms of full-time engineering related employment. Work rotations may be consecutive or alternate with academic terms.
Key Points
- Students gain experience in professional, structured settings with increasing levels of responsibility.
- Evaluation and reporting systems track student progress for employers, students, and the university.
- Companies benefit by selecting and training students who can contribute significantly to their organizations.
- Many students are offered permanent positions upon graduation based on their co-op performance.
- Work terms are completed as agreed upon; employers are not obligated beyond the prescribed terms.
Co-op students in engineering engage in meaningful work aligned with their majors, gaining confidence and making valuable contributions as they progress through the program.
- Provides multiple employment rotations with the same employer.
- One work rotation typically lasts between 12–16 weeks.
- Employers offer anywhere from 2–5 work rotations to a co-op student and rotation may be consecutive or alternate with the university’s academic terms.
- Students work full-time.
- Paid experience.
- Students may earn academic credit with the university.
- Includes a “learning agenda” with some combination of objectives, observation, reflection, evaluation, and assessment.
- Balances the student intern’s learning goals and the specific work an organization needs to accomplish.
- Prescreen ambitious and enthusiastic students who excel with challenges.
- Evaluate temporary employees before offering permanent positions.
- Introduce new ideas and methods.
- Access an excellent source of short-term employees.
- Train employees in your specific methods and processes.
- Enhance visibility on the UT campus.
- Participate in the educational process.
- Improve the engineering profession through early work experience.
- Increase opportunities for technology transfer.