Internships & Co-ops for UI ECE students - Overview

1. Internships & Co-ops for UI ECE students - Overview • What is a Internship/Co-op? • Why do a Internship/Co-op? • Where have our UI ECE students had internships. • What should I do? • Important points.

2. Internships & Co-ops for UI ECE students - Overview • Can I get UI credits for it doing an internship/co-op? • Acme Electronics doesn’t recruit at UI. What can I do? • Start your search ASAP! • Questions?

3. What is an Internship/Co-op? • Co-op • A ‘traditional’ system where a student would alternate periods of work and school for the duration of the students undergraduate program. A typical program would include alternating 6 months of work and 6 months of school.

4. What is an Internship/Co-op? • Internship • A student works for a company for one or two periods. • A typical period is a summer. • Most of our students do internships.

5. Why do a Internship/Co-op? • Experience • Can lead to future employment with the company providing the internship. • Can help you come to terms with what you’d would like to do or not like to do in your career. • It looks good when applying for full time employment after graduation. • $ for school

6. Where have our UI ECE students had internships? • Micron (Boise) • Boeing (Seattle) • AMI Semiconductor (Pocatello) • Schweitzer Engineering Labs (SEL) in Pullman • Potlach Corp. (Lewiston)

7. Where have our UI ECE students had internships? • Power Engineers (Haley, close to Sun Valley) • Agilent (Spokane) • INEEL • AMD (Austin, Texas) • Numerous small companies in the Northwest

8. Where have our UI ECE students had internships? • Right here at UI! • In the form of an undergraduate research assistant • Other universities • NASA programs

9. What should I do? • Begin by “registering” at the UI Cooperative Education Office • http://www.webs.uidaho.edu/cooped/ • Idaho Commons, Room 330

10. What should I do? • The UI Cooperative Education Office • A “liaison” between students & employers • Many workshops offered • Provides search strategies • Review the “Resource Library” and “Useful Links” info provided at the web site in the students section. • Resume critiquing

11. What should I do? • Start your search! • Postings at UI Cooperative Education Office • MonsterTRAK • Join the email distribution list • Postings around the UI ECE department • Career fairs at UI and WSU • Professors

12. Important points • Polish your Resume • Take advantage of the Cooperative Education Office resume critiquing service • Polish your Cover letter • Take advantage of the Cooperative Education Office cover letter critiquing service

13. Important points • References • Faculty • Former employers

14. Important points • Grades • Electrical engineering fundamental knowledge • Work ethic • Integrity

15. Can I get UI credits for it doing an internship/co-op? • In principle - yes • In practice - no • Enroll in ECE 398

16. Acme Electronics doesn’t recruit at UI. What can I do? • If you want to work for a company that doesn’t recruit on campus….. • Be aggressive….contact the company on your own. • Sending a resume& cover letter may be the first step, but phone calls or person contact is a more powerful way to sell your self in this situation. • This strategy has worked in situations where a company has not ever previously hired an intern.

17. Start your search ASAP! • The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll land a position. • Do not get discouraged if something doesn’t happen the first year or two. • Going through the process is good practice for the “real” thing after graduation. • You’ll gain an understanding of the process & what employers are looking for. • Job hunting can be a bit of an “art” and you have to develop skill in this area.

18. Questions?