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Getting your foot in the door
June 26, 2007
Cooperative education and internships play a valuable role in today’s education process. As a student at Northeastern University, I am very much a part of that process, and I have benefited from gaining work experience while in school. Through co-ops and internships, I’m continuing to gain experience and build credibility and contacts that would be nonexistent were I entering my fourth year of classes. (See Diversity Careers article "Co-ops and internships in engineering: the key to full-time jobs")
Internships are by no means a replacement for a college education, as my first few semesters on campus were essential for my success out in the work force, but they certainly provide a realistic view of life after college. Perhaps most valuable of all, the experience allows students to ensure that they’ve chosen the right field for them before they complete their degree. (See Amy Laskowski's post "Internships are a way to test-drive a future career.")
Co-op in particular allows students to intern in a field of their choice as part of their education, by awarding class credit for each semester they work. On Northeastern's co-op website students can read student profiles, success stories, and learn about employers involved in program.
In future posts I will be profiling engineering students about their experiences with co-op programs and internships in the industry.
Posted by Jessica MacNeil on June 26, 2007 | Comments (0)
