<p>Next fall, I will be going to the University of Delaware as a mechanical engineering major. I'm not sure how easy it is to find internships (especially for the first few years), so I would like to ask for some opinions on a particular summer job. Essentially, I managed to land a spot last year at the Air Force base thanks to some teacher connections, so I <em>should</em> be able to get the internship again fairly easily next summer and beyond since I have some experience with their program.</p>
<p>What I know about the program other than the specifics of what I did last summer (which varies depending on where I'm assigned anyways) is that it's a paid internship, requires a 3.0 gpa, and is entirely run by the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM. Most of the students were instate, but many were from out of state, including some from places like Cornell and Georgia Tech. There were also many upperclassman and some who had worked multiple summers there.</p>
<p>Here is a link to the info site: The</a> AFRL Phillips Scholars Program</p>
<p>I know this is a difficult and possibly idiotic question, but I would just like some first impressions as to the perceived quality of this program compared to other internships you may have been a part of. Is this definitely something I should pursue in future years? Is it better to have variety? Am I likely to find better ones on the East Coast that are preferable because of proximity to my school? Will it be more difficult to go into the private sector with only government internships? Any opinions would be very appreciated, thank you!</p>