Getting Work Experience

Summer employment, community service, part-time jobs, co-ops, internships and externships all provide opportunities for students to gain experience and have something to put on their resumes to make them more marketable to employers upon graduation.

A Co-op, internship, or externship is an outstanding way to gain career-related information and experience prior to graduation. These experiences can help your student...

  • Confirm choice of major
  • Gain valuable hands-on experience
  • Expand knowledge of career options in field
  • Increase confidence in skills and abilities
  • Develop a clearer picture of personal career direction
  • Cultivate valuable industry contacts

According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers (2004 Experiential Education Survey)...

  • Nearly half of employers surveyed said they offer higher salaries to new graduate hires with co-op/internship experience than they offer to those without that experience!
  • Employers surveyed said that on average, 60.2 percent of their co-ops receive offers for full-time employment!

What is Co-op?

Cooperative Education (Co-op) is an optional, academic program that enables students to gain degree-related experience prior to graduation. It is a planned, progressive educational strategy through which students learn about their field of study through "hands-on" experience in the workplace. Students gain experience, networking opportunities, and academic credit in addition to earning a competitive wage.

Employers are always looking for graduates with "real world" work experience to complement their college degree.

Co-op students maintain full-time student status while working in a paid, full- or part-time, degree-related job. An Alternating Co-op student alternates semesters between full-time work and on-campus study. A Parallel Co-op student works part-time and remains on campus to attend classes at least part-time.

What is an Externship?

An externship provides students the opportunity – in a relatively short amount of time – to explore a specific career path, gain marketable job experience, and make professional connections by spending time with alumni in their workplace. Externships vary in length, but usually last one or two days. They generally involve shadowing a professional through a normal day’s activities and may include informational interviews, a tour of the facility, and participation in actual office projects, etc.

An externship is an excellent way to learn about the day-to-day work life of a professional in a career field of your choice. It offers you the chance to “test” a career without the risk of a semester or longer term commitment and can help you get your foot in the door for a competitive internship program or job.



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