Student Guidebook 2013 (PDF) - College of Engineering - The ...

Engineering Cooperative Education (CO-OP)
Engineering Professional Practice
Todd Reeves, Director
310 Perkins Hall, Knoxville TN 37996-2030
http://www.coop.utk.edu
Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program
Students have the opportunity to gain real world
experience in their engineering field of study by working
at least three semesters with the same employer before
they graduate. Typically a co-op student will alternate
between semesters of work and school during their
sophomore and junior years. The exact co-op rotation
plan is created by the student in coordination with the
Engineering Professional Practice office and the needs of
their particular co-op employer. Most students find that
co-op adds no more than three to six months of calendar
time to their total undergraduate experience.
Benefits of Co-op
Most full time employers like to see that students
have some engineering work experience before they
graduate. The co-op program provides a student with a
total of 12 months of work with increasingly challenging
responsibilities and many students find that the second
and third rotations are the most meaningful. Co-op also
allows students to gain insights into what engineers really
do on the job and then use that work experience to shape
plans for upper level course work and what type of job to
pursue upon graduation. The best benefit of participating
in co-op may be that students get paid allowing them
to earn money for school and other expenses while still
being considered a full time student. Co-op positions are
available throughout the country with most being located
in the southeast. Finding that first full-time job can be very
competitive and students that co-op will normally have an
advantage in the hiring process.
In addition to the benefits of working and getting paid,
there are also numerous academic scholarships available
to students who have participated in co-op.
Internship Program and Benefits
The internship program differs from co-op in that the
students will only work one or two assignments typically
with different employers. The work terms are usually in the
summer. While students can still gain valuable engineering
experience with multiple employers, the internships
typically provide a sub-set of the total experience students
obtain in the co-op program.
Co-op and Internship Program Requirements
To participate fully in the Engineering Professional Practice
program, students should register with our office during
the first semester of their freshman year. They will then
have an opportunity to go through an in-depth advisement
process, learn the steps to a successful job search, and be
prepared to participate in our Engineering Fairs for co-op
and internship opportunities.
Before students go on their first assignment, they must
complete 30 hours of course work and be in good
academic standing though the specific GPA requirements
will vary depending on the needs of the employers.
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