Hi! My name is Rachel Koize, and I’m a current junior in
Mechanical Engineering. I’m also a 5-term co-op student with S&C Electric,
a power manufacturing and distribution company in Chicago, Illinois. Before
visiting Purdue, I had never heard of a co-op; I was surprised to find that
Purdue has one of the most structured and respected co-op programs in the
nation. Here are some other key things I’ve learned along the way:
·
While an
internship typically lasts for a single summer, a co-op is a contract between
you and your company to return for multiple semesters. This means that the
company has the chance to really build into you as you return each semester,
the learning curve of starting at a new company each time is virtually
eliminated, and you get to work on longer-term projects over longer semesters.
As a third-term student last fall, I was already being trusted with the same
kinds of responsibilities as the full-time engineers in my department. I had the
unparalleled opportunity to go take a course from the American Society for
Quality with my coworkers in Orlando. Co-op companies love investing in their
students!
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I took this picture while getting ready to conduct endurance testing on a new material on an overhead grid product. It passed! |
·
Co-op
gives you an unmatched depth of experience. A co-op is a great option for
someone who wants to explore a lot of different areas within the same company.
I’ve already had the chance to work in two different product engineering
departments, as well as in a quality engineering role. It’s a great way to
learn what you love and rule out what you don’t.
·
Co-op
projects give me a chance to apply what I’ve learned in school, and vice versa.
Purdue counts spring, summer, and fall terms as semesters. A co-op student will
switch off between full-time work and full-time school for each semester. This
means I get to fully focus on my responsibilities wherever I am, and I’ve
noticed several times that my class-based knowledge will build into my
understanding of a work project, or the other way around. Getting firsthand
experience with how things are done in industry has been very valuable for
quickly picking up new course material.
·
Even
though I’ll graduate a year later, co-op has been completely worth it for me. I
love the way my projects require me to work with engineers all over my company.
I’ve gotten to do everything from conducting product testing in negative 50
degree thermal chambers to redesigning complicated assemblies for easier
manufacturing – I’m rarely sitting bored at my desk. Solving real problems
means I have to go downstairs to the plant floor and talk to the people who
know the process best. I’m also getting paid well for my time, and co-op
students typically get a raise for each semester they return.
If you’re interested in co-op, it’s super easy to get
involved at Purdue! Students typically do a 3-session or 5-session co-op;
depending on which one you choose, you can begin as late as your junior year.
As a 5-session co-op, I interviewed for my position in the spring of my
freshman year and began work the following summer. Professional Practice Days
on campus draw companies from all over the nation, many of which prefer to hire
their engineering students here at Purdue. Good luck and Boiler Up!
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