By participating in the Engineering Co-op program at Cornell University, students should:
- Gain practical work experience related to one's chosen major
- Further clarify their academic focus and career goals
- Integrate practical knowledge into classroom learning
- Gain an understanding of professional cultures and expectations
After completing the Engineering Co-op program at Cornell University, students should demonstrate the ability to:
- Apply classroom knowledge to actual work situations
- Communicate effectively
- Design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data
- Design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
- Function as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
- Understand and apply professional and ethical responsibility
- Understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context
- Recognize the need for, and engage in lifelong learning
- Understand contemporary issues
- Use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice
- Utilize job search skills: resume, interview, decision making skills
- Develop professional contacts
- Constructively receive and apply professional feedback
- Take initiative in a professional setting
The Co-op program at Cornell began in 1946. In the early years, the number of students choosing to participate in the program was minuscule. Annual participation gradually increased to a record of 240 students on Co-op assignment in one year. There are currently over 100 students participating in Co-op. It is the only program of its kind among the Ivy League and one of only a few nationwide where participation is strictly voluntary and students can still graduate in four years. In all, more than 3,000 undergraduate engineering students have participated in this program.
Correspondingly, the number of employers hiring Cornell Co-ops has increased. From an initial handful to a solid base of several hundred, the number of companies interested in hiring Co-op students has steadily risen. The employers range in size from small, entrepreneurial start-ups to large manufacturing firms employing 100,000+ full-time employees. Several government agencies such as NASA also hire Cornell Co-ops. Although the vast majority of employers are located in the continental United States, employers as far away as Japan, Singapore, and Belgium have hired Cornell students. As more and more employers use the Co-op program as a full-time recruitment tool, the demand for Co-op students is expected to continue rising.
