Co-ops & Internships

Co-ops & Internships: Enhancing Your Engineering Education

Co-ops and internships provide valuable hands-on experience, allowing you to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings while building essential skills and industry connections. While not required for graduation, Nebraska Engineering highly encourages participation, as these experiences enhance career readiness and give you a competitive edge in the job market.

Co-op Program     Internship Program

Importance of Experiential Education

Co-ops and internships provide valuable learning experiences and professional growth opportunities while enhancing job prospects after graduation. Engaging in a co-op or internship allows students to gain hands-on, real-world experience. Employers prioritize professional work experience on resumes—sometimes as a requirement—and many companies use their co-op and internship programs as a direct pathway for full-time hiring.

Benefits of Co-ops & Internships

Participating in a co-op or internship offers numerous benefits that can enhance your education and career readiness:

  • Gain hands-on experience in real engineering environments, developing essential soft skills like communication and teamwork while applying classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems.
  • Build professional networks and industry connections by working alongside experienced engineers, gaining mentorship opportunities, and establishing relationships that can lead to future job offers or career advancements.

Register Your Co-op or Internship

Registering your experiences with Engineering Career Services ensures your co-op or internship is documented on your academic transcript. Registering a co-op also allows students to maintain full-time student status.

*Note: both the ECS co-op and internship course are zero credits and have no tuition cost.

ECS Course Request Form

Accepted an Opportunity?

General FAQs

What is the difference between co-ops and internships?

Co-ops are typically full-time work experiences that span multiple semesters and require a student to take time away from school.

Internships are usually shorter-term experiences lasting a summer or semester, and can be part- or full-time.

What are components of a strong co-op or internship?

To be eligible for our co-op or internship programs, it is expected that students will pursue opportunities that meet the following criteria:

  • Paid experience
  • Related to an engineering discipline
  • Working under the supervision of an engineer or manager who can provide developmental feedback
Are international students eligible for co-ops or internships?

Yes, international students are eligible to participate in internships or co-ops, and employers do not need to sponsor international students hired through these programs. Instead, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain CPT authorization through the University's ISSO office by completing paperwork with Engineering Career Services and completing a CPT application.

International students are not able to begin employment until their CPT authorization is in hand. It is crucial to allow sufficient time to complete this process, and we are unable to rush applications.