For Students

Is alternating Co-op really worth "adding a year" to my degree program?

• Oddly enough, both alternating co-ops and students who choose not to co-op average five years to graduate. In looking through records from engineering graduation classes for the past five years, we also see a general tendency for GPA's of co-ops to rise. Those who work part time jeopardize the GPA and take fewer classes per semester. We also discovered that the only students who matriculate the engineering program in four years are those who come in with lots of AP credit - at least 12 to 18 hours. Are employers impressed that a graduate finished in four years? Not if it means they have no work experience.
• All employers look for related work experience. Many use the alternating program as a major recruiting tool. Thus, you will seldom see Toyota, GE, NASA, Messer Construction and others at a UK career fair interviewing new grads. Instead, they will be replenishing their co-op pipeline from which new hires are selected. Does this mean you are entirely shut out from these employers if you have not co-oped with them? Not at all. Co-op experience with one company is always valued by other companies. However, your chances are greatly diminished if you have not co-oped at all.
• Summer jobs are great - if you can find them. Availability is based on economic conditions. In summer '05, summer jobs were practically non existent. In summer '06 they were plentiful. We never know how things will go until April or May. From the employer's perspective, finding meaningful work for an extra person in the summer can be quite a challenge. On the other hand, the more committed co-op program provides them a year-round employee who can assume more responsibility, self direction and real engineering projects. Obtaining a summer job before graduation can be a gamble. Co-op positions remain more consistent and predictable.
• Employers, as opposed to UK , are the ones who request three rotations. Working three rotations for the same employer allows students to progress to more responsibility and ownership of projects during later work sessions. The first rotation is an introduction to the company and an "assessment" where the employer evaluates the student's abilities and work ethic in order to match him or her with the right projects. During the second and third rotations, students are in charge of their own projects and even manage other workers. Sometimes, they present their work to company executives, or the project outcome changes the way a company operates, thus having a lasting impact on the company's successes.