Experiential Opportunities
Internships & Co-Ops
Well over 80% of Purdue Engineering students will graduate with at least one internship or co-op experience under their belt. Internships and co-ops provide engineering students with amazing opportunities to gain practical, real-world experience, as well as significant salaries. While starting salaries can vary between employers and industries, we often see starting salaries of around $20 per hour for a student’s first internship or co-op experience!
opportunities
Internships
Internships are typically one-time employment opportunities between a student and an employer (meaning students typically have to re-apply to work for them in a future term).
Internships offer students excellent flexibility to work for multiple employers in multiple industries over their course of time as a student to see which employer and industry they might want to pursue full-time after graduation. Most internship opportunities take place during the summer, though some opportunities also exist during the fall and spring semesters.
Co-Ops
Co-ops consist of two or more work sessions with the same employer over a given time. Purdue students can earn a co-op certificate after completing three work sessions (equivalent to about one year of full time work).
Co-ops provide an unparalleled breadth and depth of experience within an industry because students will spend multiple work sessions with their employer. Co-ops consist of 3-5 work sessions (minimum of 2 with the same employer), that provides students the equivalent to one year of full-time work experience, or more, depending on the number of sessions completed. Students typically rotate through different departments, sometimes even different locations, within a company for each of their co-op sessions to gain a variety of experiences.
While not as many students participate in co-ops as they do internships, co-ops are a fantastic choice for students who have a pretty good idea of what industry and/or employer they want to work for after graduation. For more information about co-op programs at Purdue, visit the Office of Professional Practice’s website. In addition to co-ops, the Office of Professional Practice also offers internship opportunities through the Interns for Indiana program.
Glodal Programs
Global Engineering Alliance for Research & Education (GEARE)
If you want an all-inclusive global program that’s not available anywhere else, look no further than GEARE! GEARE is Purdue’s premier international work experience program. It provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to integrate language study, study abroad, cultural training, domestic and international work/research experiences, and global design team projects into the 4-year Engineering curriculum. Students completing the program will earn a Global Engineering Studies Minor while enhancing the intercultural competencies necessary to be effective leaders within the global work environment. The benefits of co-op, experienced around the globe!