Cooperative education began in 1906 at the University of Cincinnati with 15 students and has grown to an estimated 250,000 students nationwide today. There are more than 900 public and private colleges and universities working with an estimated 50,000 co-op employers, large and small. K-State initiated its program in 1963 as a means of providing engineering students a base of practical knowledge and experience beyond the academic environment and to help them finance their educations.
Companies offer employment to students selected from the interviews or resumes sent to companies.
After accepting the offer, a student will generally begin working for the company the following semester or summer. CES documentation is available. The co-op student will work from three to six months, then return to the university to take classes. This pattern will continue until the student completes several work periods with the company. You must have completed your freshman year of study before beginning a work term, although a company may interview and hire you as a freshman.