The students integrate practical experience with classroom learning by alternating semesters of work and school during their junior and senior years. At Penn State, Co-op is an option available to all students in the College of Engineering and to engineering students in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. More than 300 employers currently participate in the engineering Co-op program, ranging from small to large in size and local to international in scope.
Students submit resumes, attend workshops, and apply for Co-op positions.
They are expected to enter the workforce as professionals, responsible for specific tasks and assignments, while maintaining a good academic standing. Employers provide students with multiple, progressively challenging, and relevant work experiences in the students' major field or study, pay a preprofessional-level salary, and offer training and supervision. Penn State faculty and staff counsel and supervise students and build partnerships with employers to create the best Co-op experience possible.