<p>I am considering a school that I got accepted to with an alternating co op and class schedule. Of course the co op jobs are not guaranteed. But honestly, what can a company benefit from a Freshman as a full time worker? What can a typical freshman offer? What kind of jobs can I expect to get? Is the co op experience worth it?</p>
<p>I don’t know of many companies that usually hire freshman at co-op positions but I am sure there are some out there. I co-oped two terms as a junior and loved the work one of them provided. I was under a ‘mentor’ or another Engineer and pretty much learned under him. I did the work he did, attended meetings, drawings, etc. Learned a lot on the job and how it will be once I graduate. It was definitely worth it if you can land a co-op/intern job while in school. Also, helps when you are job searching…companies like to see the work experience.</p>
<p>The engineers here at Illinois Institute of Technology, where I am a faculty member in physics, usually start co-op at the end of Sophomore year. At that point you have enough skills to be able to function in an engineering firm at some level. Most students who do co-op find it valuable and often can use it as a springboard to a permanent job after graduation.</p>