Looking ahead to the spring semester, some students are preparing for a full-time class schedule and others are preparing for their upcoming co-op experience. While some will be local, others might be traveling farther away for their experience. However, the number of students this time around could be much lower than in previous years.
According to Workday, for this spring, only seven students are currently enrolled in DEAN 401, which is listed as the Cooperative Education work term. Those who are planning for a co-op for just the next semester must enroll in this course, and it is probable that more registrations will come in. However, a downward trend can be seen from previous semesters leading up to this one. Following the Spring 2013 term, at least one hundred students were in co-op in each semester, with the highest number being 304 students in the Fall 2015 term. Since the Spring 2022 term, the number has fallen below one hundred, and currently, only 66 students are registered and in co-op in this Fall term.
The question that remains is what factors are contributing to this decline. For one, it’s possible that many students aren’t fully aware of the timeline required to apply for the program. In order to be able to join, a student must complete all requirements before the end of their first year. There are several events throughout the year regarding co-op including interview days, career fairs, co-op decision day, and co-op networking night, but a freshman just starting to adjust to college may lose track of these deadlines.
Another point is the appeal of applying for internships versus applying for the co-op program. The co-op program has several benefits to students, including the opportunity to earn a full-time hourly salary during each work semester and gain valuable work experience in a job related to their degree. Additionally, they will be able to gain a broader network of professional contacts in their career field and be invited to exclusive co-op recruitment events. The difficulties that students might have with the program are the later graduation and the commitment to a specific field. Internships can be more flexible in this sense if a student is less sure of what field or industry they want to enter.
Will Franznick, a second year co-op student, told The Stute that the co-op program was a great experience for him, but that it isn’t surprising interest in the program is declining.
“As much as I have enjoyed my time in the co-op program, it is a large commitment and sacrifice one has to make. I personally believe that the connections, experience, and responsibilities you accrue throughout the co-op program far outweighs the inconvenience of one additional year of study.” He noted that due to the large number of students who opt for the Accelerated Masters Program, which also adds an extra year to their time in college, friends still often get to graduate at the same time.
If you are a freshman and are interested in joining the co-op program, there are a few steps that you should take before the end of your freshman year. First, the co-op program is only offered to certain majors, including most engineering majors, computer science majors, and cybersecurity majors. To be eligible to apply, you must attend four workshops in career preparation that you can sign up for through Handshake. These workshops are SCC 101: Introduction to Career Services and Cooperative Education, SCC 102: Resume Writing, SCC 103: Job Search Strategies, and SCC 104: Interviewing Skills. Even if you are not planning on applying for the co-op program, these programs can still be useful to attend to help build your skills. Additionally, you must also attend Co-op Decision Day which is an in-person event held twice a year in October and February. It is also advised that you schedule a meeting or speak with the career center to move forward or if you have more questions.
Franznick recommended that Freshman students take advantage of the opportunity. “My experiences in the co-op program have taught me that education is important, but your attitude, eagerness to learn, and ability to adapt to the work environment will get you much farther in your career than any degree will.”
