In the Fast Lane: Boosting Your Career Through Cooperative Education and Internships.

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Author: Martinez, Amanda

So maybe you've heard of cooperative education but aren't sure what it is. Or maybe you've been advised to find an internship but don't know where to look.

Read on--you've got questions and we've got the answers!

Just because you're in school doesn't mean you can't jumpstart your career. As you enter college, there are plenty of things you can do to propel yourself into a promising future--including cooperative education and internships. Geared toward high school and college students, both types of work programs provide unbeatable opportunities to develop your interest and test-drive your skills. learning the basic is the first part of developing your roadmap to success.

Believe it or not, co-op has been around for about a century. Over the years, the usefulness and demand for co-op opportunities has grown so much that programs are offered through many colleges and universities from coast to coast--not to mention abroad. Today, co-op usually refers to a learning relationship between a student, school, and employer. In these programs, both school and employer monitor and evaluate a student's progress at a job related to the student's area of study. Co-op can be done for academic credit (or not) and is often salaried--sometimes quite well. In fact, students have been known to earn up to $15,000 a year!

According to the National Commission for Cooperative Education, the most common type of co-op program is the alternating pattern, in which a student rotates semesters of taking classes full time at a college or university with semesters of working full time in the "real world." There are other variations on co-op, too. in the parallel pattern, for example, students go to school for part of the day (say, the morning) and work for the rest of the day (such as in the afternoon or evening). Either way, though, most co-op programs are structured to allow students to graduate in as little as four-and-a-half to five years, all the while reaping the benefits of class and valuable work experiences.

So who does co-op, you might be wondering? According to a 2002 survey by the Cooperative Education and internship Association, over 240,000 undergraduate students work co-op jobs in the United States each year. These students work with one of approximately 50,000 U.S. employers. Among these employers are ones as prestigious as Fortune 500 companies and as diverse as the people who work there. Examples of companies range from Harley Davidson to Gillette and from Johnson & Johnson to PeopleSoft. That's right--the limits are few.

Internships have many things in common with co-op programs: students work at a company for a set period of time in order to gain experience and insight useful for their future career, they can be done for credit or not, and there are an impressive variety of companies offering such programs. Like co-op, for-credit internships are also monitored by the student's college or university. In order to pass, employer evaluations are common--as is homework! Students often must write a paper, keep a journal, or maintain some other similar record of their learning experiences on the job.

There are, however, some differences from co-op. For instance, while internships are sometimes required or recommended as part of a degree program, there is no standard schedule for alternating terms of work and class like in co-op: you do one whenever you want. Internships also range in duration--some run for as little as a week or two, while others go for as long as a summer or a semester. Plus, internships all require a different number of hours each week, some full time, some part time--which means they are flexible and convenient for your schedule. Pay varies as well. Many internships are unpaid, but some offer a stipend or a modest hourly wage. Unpaid programs usually require that you seek academic credit for your work, but if you're more interested in the cash than the course credit, keep your eyes open for paid opportunities--there are plenty out there.

Because there are so many internship opportunities available--both in the United States and abroad--it can sometimes be difficult to narrow down your list of prospects and find the right one for you. About.com's Career Planning Center recommends that you do some background research on your prospective internship sites to get a feel for the setting. Also, try to get in touch with past interns to see how they felt about their experiences there. And--as with any type of job search--be sure you know what you're signing up for--carefully check the job description, duties, and required skills (if making coffee for everyone in the office isn't your cup of tea, you may want to stay away). Keep in mind, too, that some internships have age restrictions (you might have to be at least a sophomore or junior in college), but others are open to a variety of age groups--including high school students.

Above all, remember that you can--and should--do more than one internship during your undergraduate experience. There are many exciting opportunities.

Any way you look at it, the benefits of co-op and internships to your career are priceless. Both types of programs give you the chance to:

• Earn some money while earning your degree;

• Apply what you've learned in the classroom to the "real world"--and vice versa;

• Gain a wide range of professional skills;

• Build your resume for your post-college job search, distinguishing you from other candidates--something that is increasingly important in the competitive work world;

• Make contact with professionals in your field of interest, which can lead to mentors and (if you're lucky!) possible job opportunities down the road;

• See what it's like to work in a company--you know, get a sense for the 9-to-5 schedule, the people, the expectations, the challenges, and the rewards; and

• Help you make sure that the career you're interested in is actually what you want to do.

Whether you decide to pursue cooperative education or an internship, you're sure to gain the skills, contacts, and experiences that will put your career in the fast lane, so rev your engine and buckle up--success is bound to follow!

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By Amanda Martinez

Antioch College
Drexel University
Kettering University
Niagara University
Northeastern University
Ohio Northern University
Pace University
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Cincinnati
Wentworth Institute of Technology

INTERNJOBS.COM (www.internjobs.com)
INTERNSHIPPROGRAMS.COM (www.internshipprograms.com)
INTERNWEB.COM (www.internweb.com)
MONSTERTRACK (www.monstertrack.com)
NATIONAL INTERNSHIPS (www.internships.com)
RISING STAR INTERNSHIPS (www.rsintemships.com)

Don't forget to check out smaller local businesses--and the organizations where your parents work--to see what types of opportunities may be available as well. You might be surprised by the number of internship options in your own back yard!