Co-ops, internships, volunteer experiences, and summer jobs are all types of
practical work experience. You will also hear these programs referred to as
Experiential Education.
Getting work experience in a student’s field of interest is invaluable for
several reasons:
- Students get to experience the job first hand and helps them to decide
whether they want to pursue a particular career.
- Students begin to build a network of contacts within their chosen career
field. This becomes an important resource when they start searching for
employment after graduation.
- It shows future employers that students have gained relevant work experience
in the real world.
- In some cases students can earn a substantial amount of money to help pay
college expenses.
There are several ways to gain relevant work experience, including
cooperative education (co-ops), internships, volunteer experiences, and summer
jobs. This section explains each of these opportunities.
