<p>I know there are a lot of big engineering internship opportunities out there, but which is the most popular, or competitive?</p>
<p>I don't know where to start during my search this summer for next year's internships.</p>
<p>I'm looking for a well known company for Mechanical Engineering (hP, Shaw, Lockheed, etc.)</p>
<p>Any other ones which are attainable for a first year?</p>
<p>Companies like to employ interns who are close to graduation and you will probably have a very hard time finding one for the summer as a first year student. I think the most competitive internships are those in the defense or aerospace industry (Lockheed, Boeing, Northrop, Ball, etc...) and some of the national labs and government agencies.</p>
<p>Your college should have an office that helps students find internships. A friend's son, a B/C student at U of M Engineering, got a great internship in CA this past summer through the school's internship office. He just finished his sophomore year --- VERY FEW companies will take engineers in internship programs after freshman year. The company loved him, and they are paying for his final two years of school in hopes that he will take a job with them after graduation.</p>