Cooperative Education

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Cooperative Education

• Hands-on Experience for
• A Head Start on Your Career

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What Is a Co-op?

• Academic program
• Undergrad (UN3002)2 credits
• Graduate (UN5000)1 to 12 credits
• Gain paid, career-related experience
• Your co-op responsibilities
• Evaluated by your work supervisor
• You evaluate the employer experience
• Write a technical report
• Receive a grade from academic department

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Co-ops vs Internships

• Co-ops
• Usually 5
• months
• Paid
• Worth academic credit
• Career-related, hands-on experience

• Internships
• Usually summers-only
• Sometimes paid
• May not be directly related to career

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Whos Eligible to Participate in a Co-op?

• Undergrads
• Good social academic standing 2.2 GPA or higher
  
• Completed first year at Tech
• Obtaining authorization from IPS if appropriate

• Graduate students
• 3.0 GPA or higher
• Completing one semester at Tech
• Permission of academic advisor
• Obtain authorization from IPS if appropriate

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Advantages of a Co-op

• 1 hiring criteria of employers!
• Job-search skills
• Apply studies to real world problems
• Hands-on experience
• Try out companies and fields
• Salary/benefits
• Higher starting salary potential

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Registration Benefits

• Active, full-time student
• NOTE
• Financial Aid will not cover co-op credits
• Maintain health insurance under parent/guardian
• Live in MTU housing if local co-op
• Receive academic credits
• (free/technical elective)

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Disadvantages of a Co-op

• 4 1/2 to 5 years to complete degree
• Additional costs wardrobe, car, housing, etc.
• Social disruption
• Housing contracts
• Miss earning a salary

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Beginning Basics

• Find a Co-op
• Get resume/interview assistance at the Career
  Center!
• Upload your resume on the Career Centers
  eRecruiting and apply for jobs
• Interview with companies at MTU, or make your own
  contacts back at home or in your department

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Employer Benefits Some co-op students have
received

• Relocation mileage, meals, motel costs
• Housing assistance
• Laptop computer, cell phone
• Medical/Dental benefits
• Paid personal, sick time or vacation
• Company vehicle
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flex hours

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Average Hourly Salaries(for Undergraduates)

• Environ. Eng. 13.73
• Eng. Tech.
• 15.49
• Materials Sci.
• 14.91
• Mech. Eng. 14.94
• Computer Sci.
• 20.67
• Sci/Tech. Comm.
• 13.75

• Business 15.48
• Biomedical 18.49
• Chemical Eng. 18.47
• Chemistry
• 19.64
• Civil Eng. 13.32
• Electrical. Eng. 16.59

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Whos Hiring Our Co-opsOver 1700 Registered
Co-op Employers!

• 3M
• CA Dept. of Trans.
• Challenge Aspen
• Detroit Tigers
• Disney World
• Grand Rapids Police
• Forensics Unit
• Ford Motor Co.
• IBM

• Marathon Petroleum
• Mayo Clinic
• NASA
• Oshkosh Truck
• Rockwell Collins
• Stryker Instruments
• Vermont Yankee
• Nuclear Power
• Volvo Construction Equip. (Korea)

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What Tech Co-ops Have DoneYoud be amazed!

• Redesigned a manufacturing plant layout for a
  major automotive supplier, saving the employer
  over 300,000
• Conducted feasibility studies and worked on
  proprietary research
• Traveled around the country and world as
  troubleshooting representatives for a major heavy
  equipment company

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More Great Things!

• Assisted the Grand Rapids Police Departments
  Forensics Unit
• Worked on intense planned outages for a nuclear
  power facility in Vermont
• Designed and fabricated learning devices for
  physically handicapped skiers at a ski camp

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Co-op Program Info www.career.mtu.edu