The Observer, September 28, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 5
Co-op offers opportunity to learn, develop valuable skills
Every year, more than 200 engineering, science, and business majors disappear from campus to go on "co-op." What does that mean? Are they shopping at the food co-op? Have they moved into a housing co-op somewhere on Hessler? Thankfully, no. They've just gone to work.
A co-op is seven months of full-time paid employment relevant to a student's major. Students co-op in spring/summer and summer/fall terms. The Co-op Program is designed to prepare students for professional work experience, with lifelines to the university that help smooth the transition. The Co-op Office handles most of the grunt work for prospective hires, offering mock interviews and résumé reviews, coordinating interviews, sending out résumés, and holding professional development classes.
The Co-op Program started in 1979 when the dean of Case Institute of Technology decided that the university needed a program to boost engineering education and industry opportunities for students. That year, 12 students went out on co-op at eight companies. In 2006, 208 students went out to 75 organizations. Since 2002, 11 students have even completed co-op abroad.
During their time, co-ops gain experience in their field, often learning information inaccessible from the classroom. A co-op often joins a team of employees and works with them to complete projects and assignments. According to director Mary Rose Tichar, a seven-month work opportunity is far more valuable than a summer internship, because "a longer term allows the student to become involved with more in-depth projects, be assigned more responsibility, and truly become part of a team."
Co-op companies, 500 of which receive student résumés every semester, are often looking for students who can become full-time hires after graduation. Top hiring companies include General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Sherwin-Williams, and IBM. And co-op experience is not uncommon – yearly, the School of Engineering can boast that 40 percent of grads went on co-op during their time at Case.
To these employers, the Case Co-op Program offers intelligent and motivated students who often bring a new angle on an old project, and a new member to their team. According to Marcia Hendershot at Rockwell Automation, "Case students come in from the classroom and make an immediate impact on our business. Students have the opportunity to gain valuable job experience through meaningful work assignments. In turn, we develop relationships with these future leaders." Indeed, one benefit of a successful co-op is creating a network of professionals who know the student, understand what he oe she can do, and can serve as future contacts.
The benefits of a co-op are diverse. Some students go on to work at the same company after graduation. A few have decided, despite excellent co-ops, that they don't want to be engineers after all. Most commonly, students learn skills that can't be found in a typical engineering classroom – communication skills, teamwork, initiative, leadership, and flexibility – but can be found on the employers' list of the top ten qualities they seek in prospective hires.
The deadline for spring/summer 2008 co-op is Oct. 8. For more information, visit Nord 304 or e-mail mrt2@case.edu.
