An engineering co-op, short for cooperative education program, is a type of work-integrated learning experience commonly offered by universities and colleges in collaboration with industry partners
- Co-op can be less competitive than summer internships (most students only want to work in the summer, but companies need help all year long)
- Some companies will only hire coop students and not interns
- Co-op can allow you to spend more time and get a more in depth experience of engineering work, and the company to get a deeper sense of your skills
- While co-oping, you keep your full time student status
- Yes, but that can be a good thing! If a co-op pushes your graduation later, it may also give you an extra summer for additional experience before graduation.
- You’ll need to check in with your 4 year advisor, but when you coop, your financial aid gets pushed off a semester like your courses. While you co-op, you do not pay tuition since you aren’t taking courses, and you earn money!
- Searching for a co-op works like searching for an internship or full-time job. However, since fewer students are looking for coops, fewer are posted. You should also target companies and reach out proactively to ask about coop opportunities. Meet with a career coach to talk about your strategy.
- Not everyone uses the same terms. Co-op is the term WashU uses. Some companies may talk about fall / winter / spring internships.
