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Summaries
What is Cooperative Education?
Cooperative Education is an academic program designed to complement
a student's formal education with practical work experience directly
related to the student's major. Co-ops alternate semesters of on-campus
study with semesters of full-time employment.
Is co-op mandatory?
No, participating in the co-op program is not mandatory, although it
is beneficial for the student and the employer. About 86-97% of an
engineering class at the University of Akron participates in the co-op
program.
How much does the co-op registration fee cost?
The registration fee through Zipline is $55 for the semester.
Am I still considered a full-time student while on co-op?
Yes, you are considered a full-time student even though the co-op “class” is
credit/no credit. If you need a letter for insurance, university housing,
or scholarship to show your full-time status, please let us know and
we will provide one.
What do
I do if I am interested in working for a company that is not in
the Engineering Co-op Office’s
database?
How does the Engineering Co-op Office place students in their co-op
jobs?
Once you are signed up in our office, your resume is sent to various
companies seeking your engineering discipline. The employers prescreen
students and let the Engineering Co-op Office know who they are interested
in interviewing. Then, the students are notified about the interview
opportunity.
Where do interview take place?
The first round of interviews for a company usually takes place on
campus. For these on-campus interviews, students are to report to the
Engineering Co-op Office a few minutes before their scheduled interview
time. After the first set of interviews, the employers have the students
come to the company for an off-campus interview. Shortly after interviewing,
employers extend offers to the students. Some companies may also conduct
phone interviews as a prescreen of possible candidates.
I would like to go out of state for my co-op; is this a possibility?
Yes, you can co-op locally, in Ohio, or even out of the state. We have
companies in over twenty states.
