Engineering students should consider programs that offer internships to gain professional experience before graduation. Look for on-site or distance learning opportunities, and if your program doesn’t offer internships, seek assistance from faculty or look for part-time work or shadowing opportunities. Joining engineering organizations can also provide networking connections.
Gaining engineering experience while you are still in college will greatly benefit you when looking for engineering jobs after graduation. One of the most common ways to gain professional engineering experience is to work on an engineering internship during your college years. For this reason, it is important to consider college engineering programs if engineering internships are offered before deciding on a program. In the best engineering programs, internships are not only offered, but completion of internships is required for students to graduate. Be sure to take advantage of any engineering internship opportunities your program offers, as well as any other job-related opportunities.
Typical engineering internship positions are usually on-site at companies offering the internships. Internships sometimes involve industry-funded research that takes place on engineering school campuses. Some engineering schools partner with companies to provide distance learning internships for students from rural or off-the-beaten-track schools who are unable to physically work on company premises. If your school is in a somewhat remote location, ask about possible distance learning opportunities as a way to gain professional engineering experience.
If your program does not offer formal internship opportunities as part of its curriculum, speak to your department chair or faculty for assistance in arranging an internship during the summer or other school break. If that’s not an option, look for one yourself by contacting recruiters specializing in the field of engineering, reviewing job boards, visiting job fairs with engineering companies, and researching engineering company websites. Consider reaching out to smaller companies that may only have unpaid internships available but still offer valuable experience. Another route you can take is to look for engineering internships in other countries, which will provide you with not only engineering experience, but also experience in another culture. One organization that offers engineering internships in different countries is the International Association for Technical Experience Student Exchange (IAESTE).
Another way to gain engineering experience is to look for part-time work at an engineering company, as an engineering assistant or in another engineering-related position, while you are in school. You may not be performing actual engineering tasks, but you will still be exposed to the engineering work environment. You could also contact smaller engineering companies in your area, explaining that you are studying engineering and asking if they would consider letting you shadow an engineer for a few days – of course, it’s unpaid. Also, consider joining student chapters of engineering organizations, which will not provide direct engineering work experience but may provide networking connections.
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