Is UA blowing smoke in touting all these engineering internship opportunities?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Alabama
21

Thanks, @jrcsmom‌, that’s very helpful!

My son’s understanding was that if nothing came through this year (and he’s a “true freshman” as he came in with no AP or CLEP credits) or if the companies didn’t feel like a good match, then he should just plan to try again next year. So I was a little surprised to see the reference to co-ops “usually” going to freshmen–I just don’t know where that’s coming from. (Maybe it’s because so many freshmen actually have sophomore or junior status??)

I will say this, though, re the decision to pursue a co-op. My kid is not one of the ‘rock stars’ we read so much about on these pages. Yes, he’s in the Honors College (as are most engineers, I’m guessing), but he’s not in CBH or a University Fellow. He’s not in the STEM Path to MBA or an Emerging Scholar. In other words, he’s not one of those kids that companies are going to be begging to pursue their internship openings. He’s just a hardworking engineering student who aced his first semester classes and decided to apply to the co-op program because he wanted some practical experience and believed there was “no time like the present” to go for it, regardless of the outcome. Time will tell if it pays off for him, but I think every kid needs to play to his strengths, and this is why I encouraged him to look into the co-op program. It just seemed like a good way to go for a kid like him. He’s very happy on campus and has a nice solid circle of friends (who all will be moving off campus next year), but doing a co-op will not interfere with other commitments he’s made, either academically or socially. It’s definitely not something that would work for every student, but it seems like it would work for him.

22

Most of those I know don’t start a coop work term as early as fall of sophomore year. Most companies want students who have had more engineering classes. I think the only reason my son landed one so early is because he came in with most of his math and science credits completed so did all of his sophomore level EE (And one jr EE class)and CS classes his first year. Even then he only got 1 coop job offer out of 6 interviews and it wasn’t one of his top picks. I think if he had waited another year he may have had more offers, thus more choices.
Just something else to be aware of…at least for his company, terms run longer than semesters. It’s usually just a week between school/each work term for him to get a break and come home and be with us.

23

Lucie- my freshman son interviewed as well. I encouraged him to do it mainly for the interview experience as the poor child has never held a job or participated in an interview! It was an eye-opening experience for him. Everyone he met with encouraged him to try again next year and said most if not all of the positions go to the upper level students. At interview time, he had only completed the intro to ECE course.

One thing he did learn was that his top choice is no longer his top-choice. He interviewed with another company and fell in love. He told me early on that even if he was offered a spot with one of the other 3 companies, he wouldn’t take it. He felt like he knew what he had to do to snag a job with his new love next year. Just my opinion, but I wouldn’t feel pressured to rush into a co-op as a freshman.

24

Totally agree, @FamilyofFive. I really don’t know if anything will come of this second interview, but you can’t beat the experience. It’s really boosted his self-confidence, just being asked to come in. Baby steps! :slight_smile:

I also want to add that the co-op office has been very supportive regarding the AWOL company I referenced earlier. I think my son is wrong about them not having called to follow up. Cool company, but maybe this co-op thing is new for them and they don’t have the people in place to make it happen.

25

I agree with all of the positives listed for Co-ops. I would add two more, first a co-op will generate much more income than a summer internships. The connections (and often the follow-up job offer) can also be important for a student with a less than stellar GPA (<3.0). I know one engineering student at that “other” Alabama school that lost his OOS scholarship when he’s grades dropped. He’s parents are, let’s say “unhappy”, but he’s making enough from his co-op to continue to pay OOS tuition and he’s already lined up a job offer with the company he’s working with…

We haven’t listed any positives for internships (vs. Co-ops), other than graduating on-time. Another advantage to being on-campus the full time (fall/spring), is that it makes it easier to get involved with campus life. In particularly, earning leadership positions in student groups, getting involved in research and working on design projects (that often take two semesters to complete). It’s possible to do this things while in a co-op, but the rotating on/off schedule makes it much harder.

26

I think some other benefits of internships have been mentioned (or at least referenced), but I’ll add a few more.

As noted in a comment above, internships provide the opportunity to gain exposure to multiple work responsibilities or work environments or even geographical areas to aid the student in determining what their long term goals are.

Completing multiple internships also provides the student the opportunity to develop a larger professional network in their field which can aid them when they are seeking an entry level job, but can also be resources as they grow their career.

Also as referenced above, some majors only offer courses during specific semesters and a co-op can make it challenging to stay on-track to graduate ‘on time’ even factoring in the extra year. If needed courses aren’t offered the semesters you are on campus, then it may delay graduation even more.

Another negative about co-ops that was a significant challenge for my son was that in a smaller major students develop a support network of classmates since the same students take many of the same courses together. My son was very concerned that the students he had been in classes with, studied with, and had become friends with would be moving ahead of him and he would no longer be in the same classes. I explained to him as they moved into upper division courses and students chose different specialties he could not be certain that the students he got to know in his lower level courses would still be in his classes even if he decided against a co-op.

27

Popping back in to say the interview went very well and they offered him the position at the end of the visit. I think he was stunned! Aside from trying to figure out if we can work out the logistics (we’d need to buy him a car immediately and find him housing in a pretty rural location), I think he’s feeling a little overwhelmed by the opportunity and the need to make a decision in a few days. They would want him to start this summer, shortly after the spring semester ends.

On the one hand, I want to encourage him to seize the day; on the other, I don’t want him to rush into something if he doesn’t feel ready.

Any advice, fellow parents?

28

I would suggest that he call the HR dept at the location and ask them if they could help him find housing. They are local and have connections. It is not an unreasonable question.

29

Thank you, @Mom2aphysicsgeek!

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My husband just got home and I asked him his thoughts. He said to definitely contact the HR dept. He said he would be surprised if they didn’t already have options.

31

Yes, we’re going to follow up on that tomorrow. Thank your DH for me! :slight_smile:

32

I was likely one of the FB parents chiming in. Some of it depends upon the engineering major. DS changed his major because he has not found an internship. With his new ME major, he will be able to get a Co-Op down the road if he does not secure an internship this summer.

Help for UA on engineering internships is not good, but the Co-Op office for those with the right major is amazing!

I can say, the only AEM majors my son knows who got an internship had family or close family friends get them the in.

33

^Um, that would not be my son’s case…he got his internships on his own, knowing no one to ‘get him in’.

AEM majors do need to find things on their own (both co-ops and internships), that much is true. Co-ops in AEM at UA are not at all easy to do, because junior and senior year are taught in sequence as a cohort, and therefore this would delay graduation by at least a year, maybe more? (altho I have heard that UA might be flexible for the right student - not sure what that means) This was a huge consideration against UA in the beginning (i.e., non-existent AEM-related co-ops), until my son made his own path and pursued internships instead. He has had an internship every summer (after FR, after SO, and again this summer after JR year). After his SO year, he was effectively hired and placed on an education leave of absence by his current employer for his JR and SR years, and he returns to internships in the summers until he graduates. I realise that this is probably not the norm, but just putting it out there as a success story.

A large part of securing internships and co-ops has to do with how successful you are at academics, research, and other activities while on campus, before you even apply. The great thing about UA is that there are plenty of opportunities for students to build a solid resume, either by getting great grades, doing research, completing projects, joining engineering teams, and so forth. Don’t expect a small program like UA’s AEM to cater to those students who are not putting themselves out there. A larger (or more well known) engineering school might have a better system for finding students internships and co-ops, but the motivated and dedicated engineering student at UA should have no problems finding work, imo.

34

UA has been known to move mountains for students who are well known and liked by the department. If one has multiple professors telling the department chair that they want a certain exception made for a specific student, the department is much more likely to grant such an exception. I would not count on this happening, but if an amazing offer is presented to a student, UA wants to make sure that the student is able to accept that offer.

35

I am happy to report that, thanks to the amazing extended Bama parent community, I was able to help my son locate housing for the summer. He is floored by what a nice place it is and is so excited to be able to accept the offer!

I also want to comment on something that @aeromom and others have alluded to:

I think it’s VERY important for your student to know his or her specific strengths/interests and to have realistic goals about what can or can’t be accomplished towards that end. For example, my son was not particularly interested in pursuing research opportunities on campus as a freshman. He was open to the idea of doing that later, as an upperclassman, IF he found an area of his interest he wanted to explore. He did not, however, want to do research, just to “gain research experience” (something I think is a VERY valid approach, BTW, and strongly encouraged). It just didn’t feel right to him and he couldn’t motivate himself to pursue it this year even though many students go that route.

Knowing that about himself, he recognized that “going co-op” probably would be his best shot at getting practical, hands-on experience. He focused on his studies (while having a great time, I must add!) and took a challenging schedule, but he did not bite off more than he could chew, with the goal of earning high grades across the board. He also chose his major (ME) with all of this in mind–it’s a large, very established major at UA, with an excellent reputation, that also lines up well with his strengths and interests. As one of the largest, broadest, and oldest engineering disciplines, it seemed an excellent foundation for anything he might want to do in the future. It also is a major that attracts a lot of interest from employers who participate in the co-op program.

In the end, for this particular co-op, I believe it was a combination of his high GPA and willingness to find his own housing that allowed him to land such a great opportunity. Other students with other strengths are going to attract other great opportunities. And the high-achieving go-getters out there (as @SEA_tide confirms) will be rewarded with tremendous support from the university to pursue their dreams–for them, it really seems the sky IS the limit (no pun intended to the aero majors!).

The bottom line: Student, KNOW thyself. Know thy STRENGTHS. LEVERAGE those strengths when seeking opportunities and be willing to JUMP (even when it’s a little scary!) when a great opportunity presents itself.

The old adage “God helps those who help themselves” doesn’t really line up with Scripture as I understand it, but it is how life works for the most part here on Planet Earth. :slight_smile:

One other tip: The UA Parents FB group spun off an Engineering Parents group a few months ago, and I would highly encourage parents of those engineering students considering UA or already committed to join that group as well. There are some tremendously wise, experienced parents there willing to advise and help wherever they can.

Roll Tide Roll!!!