Engineering Career Services-Co-ops, Internships, and Summer Employment

It is an objective of the College of Engineering that all graduates will have relevant engineering work-related experience prior to graduation.

Co-ops, internships, and summer employment are three ways to gain this valuable experience.

Definitions

Cooperative Education Alternating Work-Study (AWS): Alternating periods of full-time academic college training with periods of full-time work experience of approximately equal length. The alternating period is the major academic period of the institution; e.g., semester or quarter/not summer. At least one calendar year equivalent of institution supervised work experience is required; therefore a minimum of two semester and one summer is required.

Parallel Co-op: A formalized institutional plan in which the student is enrolled as at least a half-time student (6-9 cr.) and is employed in a work experience which will encompass approximately one-half of a regular work week in length. At least one year of equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required.

Cooperative Education Combination Alternating/ Parallel: A formalized institutional plan that includes combination(s) of parallel and full-time work experience periods. At least one calendar 7year equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required.

Internship: A single work period of institutional supervised full-time employment of at least one semester. This experience should not include two semesters in the same academic year.

Parallel Internship: A formalized institutional plan in which the student is enrolled as at least a half-time student (6-9 cr.) and is employed in a work experience which will encompass approximately one-half of a regular work week in length. At least one semester equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required.

Internship Combination Alternating/Parallel: A formalized institutional plan that includes combination(s) of parallel and full-time work experience periods. At least a semester equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required.

Summer: A single work period of institutional supervised, engineering related, full-time employment of at least 10 weeks.

In all of these programs, students are provided with planned pre-professional work assignments for pay. They remain with the same employer throughout the program, and are enrolled as full-time students in a non-fee, non-credit course. In order to continue in the program, students are expected to maintain a satisfactory academic and disciplinary record while attending classes at the university, and a satisfactory work record while employed.

Student Benefits

Enhances job exploration and clarification of career goals
Supplements classroom experience with practical work experience
Improves learning and adaptation to different employment situations
Provides a potential salary that is 60-70 percent of a full-time salary thus helping to defray college expenses
Establish professional contacts
Develops a greater sense of responsibility, self-confidence, and maturity
Develops interpersonal and communication skills
Creates a process of development, assessment, and continuous professional growth

Cooperative Education and Internships

The engineering cooperative education/internship programs combine classroom studies with supervised work experiences. Students are employed by industry, business, and government organizations in positions related to their major field of study. Cooperative education/internships blend theory and practical work experience. A cooperative education/internship program is an excellent opportunity for the best engineering education. A co-op/intern student completes the same requirements for the bachelor's degree as students in other programs while acquiring valuable practical work experience and demonstrated workplace skills.

Summer

Summer work consists of three months working in a position related to your major field of study. Students should plan a job search strategy that begins during fall semester for the following summer. Many companies establish closing dates for summer applications as early as January 1; others take applications through May.

After Accepting a Co-op/Intern or Summer Position

Verify your start date and obtain supervisor contact information.
Fill out the Employment Acceptance Form at www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/students/employment_acceptance.pdf and read the coop/intern/summer checklist.
Get advisory approval and signature on Employment Acceptance Form.
Take Employment Acceptance Form to Engineering Career Services (308 Marston Hall) for final approval and appropriate course registration.

It is an objective of the College of Engineering that all graduates will have relevant engineering work-related experience prior to graduation. Co-ops, internships, and summer employment are three ways to gain this valuable experience. Definitions Cooperative Education Alternating Work-Study (AWS): Alternating periods of full-time academic college training with periods of full-time work experience of approximately equal length. The alternating period is the major academic period of the institution; e.g., semester or quarter/not summer. At least one calendar year equivalent of institution supervised work experience is required; therefore a minimum of two semester and one summer is required. Parallel Co-op: A formalized institutional plan in which the student is enrolled as at least a half-time student (6-9 cr.) and is employed in a work experience which will encompass approximately one-half of a regular work week in length. At least one year of equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required. Cooperative Education Combination Alternating/ Parallel: A formalized institutional plan that includes combination(s) of parallel and full-time work experience periods. At least one calendar 7year equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required. Internship: A single work period of institutional supervised full-time employment of at least one semester. This experience should not include two semesters in the same academic year. Parallel Internship: A formalized institutional plan in which the student is enrolled as at least a half-time student (6-9 cr.) and is employed in a work experience which will encompass approximately one-half of a regular work week in length. At least one semester equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required. Internship Combination Alternating/Parallel: A formalized institutional plan that includes combination(s) of parallel and full-time work experience periods. At least a semester equivalent full-time institutional supervised work experience is required. Summer: A single work period of institutional supervised, engineering related, full-time employment of at least 10 weeks. In all of these programs, students are provided with planned pre-professional work assignments for pay. They remain with the same employer throughout the program, and are enrolled as full-time students in a non-fee, non-credit course. In order to continue in the program, students are expected to maintain a satisfactory academic and disciplinary record while attending classes at the university, and a satisfactory work record while employed.
Student Benefits Enhances job exploration and clarification of career goals Supplements classroom experience with practical work experience Improves learning and adaptation to different employment situations Provides a potential salary that is 60-70 percent of a full-time salary thus helping to defray college expenses Establish professional contacts Develops a greater sense of responsibility, self-confidence, and maturity Develops interpersonal and communication skills Creates a process of development, assessment, and continuous professional growth Cooperative Education and Internships The engineering cooperative education/internship programs combine classroom studies with supervised work experiences. Students are employed by industry, business, and government organizations in positions related to their major field of study. Cooperative education/internships blend theory and practical work experience. A cooperative education/internship program is an excellent opportunity for the best engineering education. A co-op/intern student completes the same requirements for the bachelor's degree as students in other programs while acquiring valuable practical work experience and demonstrated workplace skills.
Summer Summer work consists of three months working in a position related to your major field of study. Students should plan a job search strategy that begins during fall semester for the following summer. Many companies establish closing dates for summer applications as early as January 1; others take applications through May.
After Accepting a Co-op/Intern or Summer Position Verify your start date and obtain supervisor contact information. Fill out the Employment Acceptance Form at www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/students/employment_acceptance.pdf and read the coop/intern/summer checklist. Get advisory approval and signature on Employment Acceptance Form. Take Employment Acceptance Form to Engineering Career Services (308 Marston Hall) for final approval and appropriate course registration.