Co-op program prepares students for successful careers through real-world experience

The NC State Career Development Center’s Co-op Program takes immense pride in the accomplishments of our students. The co-op program is designed to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world experience, preparing students for successful careers.

This past spring, we celebrated the achievements of our graduating class, who have completed 12 months of full-time co-op experience. Their stories are a testament to the value of hands-on learning and the opportunities that our co-op program provides.

Saurav Jain

Chemical Engineering Position: Co-op Engineer at Novo Nordisk

Work and Skills Experience: “Personal integrity is the most important skill to have. Doing what you have been assigned properly, without taking any shortcuts, is extremely important. Apart from that, basing projects on collected data and not making any guesses is vital as it could adversely affect not only the company but also the public. Being humble in the sense that knowing that you don’t know everything and thus being proactive and eager to learn more will also help in being successful in the Co-Op experience. On top of that, having good time management skills and managing workload is important to meet deadlines. Lastly, having good communication skills is also important to be able to present work to the management team.”

Advice for prospective co-op students: “The most important advice I would give to students is to not forget what you learnt in your courses as the knowledge you gain in class will be important to be successful in your Co-Op experience. This will also help in having an open mind about the projects assigned to you. Above all, follow the instructions given by your mentor and complete all tasks on time.”

Matthew Simpson

Aerospace Engineering Position: Engineering Co-op for NASA and Space X

Work and Skills Experience: “Throughout my co-op experience, I was able to work on hands-on projects with some of the best aerospace engineers in the industry. Multiple rotations allowed me to hone my interest and find the types of work I enjoy with the freedom and flexibility of multiple rotations. Overall, I attribute my job search success to the skills and experiences I gained during the NCSU co-op program.”

Advice for prospective co-op students: “Explore and learn as much about the company and your team during your rotations. Make connections with fellow interns/co-ops, have coffee with people whose jobs you find interesting, and connect with teams outside of your discipline.”

Anh Tran

Electrical Engineering Position: Co-op Engineer at ATI Industrial Automation

Work and Skills Experience: “I learned micro-soldering, PCB designing, PCB testing and debugging, project management, and design document creation. I also learned how to work with other teams as well as other companies on various projects.”

Advice for prospective co-op students: “Keep challenging yourself by signing up for something you haven’t done before. That’s how you learn new skills and grow professionally.”

Ethan Loeffelholz

Biomedical Engineering Position: Co-op Engineer at Novo Nordisk

Work and Skills Experience: “Broadly I learned a lot about how to communicate professionally, and what actually working in a team in the workplace means. But primarily I learned in greater depth how to be detail oriented, scientific, and professional in the way that I go about solving problems at work. Finally and most importantly, I learned that mistakes happen in the workplace. What’s important is properly documenting and rectifying the mistake, understanding why it happened, and not letting it affect the rest of your work.”

Advice for prospective co-op students: “Consider co-ops in a field adjacent to your own too, finding what you don’t like to do or sometimes falling in love with a new field is just as important as working in your original field. The skills you gain will be cross disciplinary, and it can help you stand out. One of my jobs I got almost exclusively because of the cross disciplinary skills I gained at my co-op.”

The success stories of our co-op students underscore the significance of experiential learning. We are proud of their achievements and confident that they are well-equipped to excel in their chosen careers. As we continue to enhance our co-op program, we look forward to seeing many more students benefit from this invaluable opportunity.

We encourage current and prospective students to explore the possibilities that the co-op program offers. For more information on how to get started with co-op, please visit: https://careers.dasa.ncsu.edu/overview/.