Co-ops and Internships
Undergraduate engineering students can gain significant technical experience in industry before graduation through both internships and the Cooperative Engineering Education Program, or Co-op, an experiential learning program. Students who participate in engineering internships and the Co-op Program are able to explore career interests and have a competitive advantage when looking for a full-time position upon graduation.
Co-op Opportunities
Co-op students complete at least one summer and one long semester of full-time work with the same employer, receive one or two hours of letter-grade credit per work term and earn a competitive salary.
By integrating multiple semesters of engineering work experience with on-campus study, co-op students enhance their classroom knowledge through practical application of theories to real-world problems. Co-op students explore specific interests within their academic discipline and refine their post-graduation goals. At the same time, co-op allows students to earn a competitive salary, which can be used to help finance their education.
Returning to the same employer for subsequent experiences gives students access to more challenging and in-depth projects while building a long-term relationship with the employer. It also allows co-op employers to evaluate potential permanent hires over an extended period of time, provides a continual pipeline of bright engineers and is a cost-effective method for completing engineering tasks.
“I truly believe that doing a co-op is one of the most important things a student can do to enhance their education and marketability after graduation.“
former Texas Engineering student and co-op participant
Current Co-Op Employers
Interested in seeing the employers we’re already working with? View current co-op employers partnering with ECAC and Texas Engineering.
Internship Opportunities
An internship is an opportunity for a student of any classification to gain valuable, paid work experience. Interns work full-time during the summer and commit to working with an employer for one summer only. Students may apply to work with a different employer each summer to expand their horizons even more.
As early as the summer after their first year, students can begin an internship with an employer. Second-year and third-year students are especially encouraged to build a good resume by gaining internship experience. In addition to exposure to technical training, interns gain knowledge of an employer’s work environment, office etiquette and typical day-to-day challenges and projects.
These experiences offer short-term and long-term gains. Students earn a salary, gain professional experience to complement their academic studies and explore career interests within their majors. When they graduate and seek permanent employment, their resumes reflect industry experience, giving them a competitive advantage. Often, students receive permanent job offers from employers for whom they have interned.
Benefits of Internships
- Enhance engineering education with work experience
- Explore career interests within a field of study
- Earn a competitive salary
- Refine job search skills
- Network with corporate employees and fellow students
- Become familiar with the corporate environment
- Learn about employers and organizational culture before graduation
- Assess interest in specific engineering fields and majors
How to Get Involved
- Register with the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC) and create a resume
- Participate in on-campus interviews
- Attend career fairs and information sessions
- Network with recruiters and fellow students
- Participate in on-campus recruiting