Employers expect today's students to have work
experience before they graduate. Most students get this
experience through part-time or summer jobs, co-ops or internships,
involvement in student organizations, or volunteer work while they are in
school. If you do not get experience, it will put you at a distinct disadvantage
when you start your job search.
Participating in an internship, co-op or volunteer
experience can help you:
-
Demonstrate that you have gained
relevant work experience and practical skills related to your major.
-
Develop important skills like
leadership, teamwork and communication. These are skills that will help you with
your job search no matter what your major.
-
Experience the daily routine and
decide whether you want to pursue a particular career.
-
Build a network of contacts within
your chosen career field.
AggiExternships
are opportunities for students to learn more about their fields in a low-stress
environment. It provides an opportunity to visit a company in your field of
study for a day where you can explore specific careers, make professional
connections, and gather first-hand experience from professionals.
Co-op, or
Cooperative
Education, is a supervised, academic program that formally
integrates semesters of academic study with semesters of paid, full-time work
experience while retaining full-time student status.
An Internship
is a short term, one-time employment assignment, generally during the summer,
which offers students an interest or major-related work experience with a
learning component.
