{"id":12216,"date":"2020-01-27T15:42:20","date_gmt":"2020-01-27T22:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=12216"},"modified":"2020-02-27T10:58:38","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T17:58:38","slug":"co-ops-arent-just-for-business-and-engineering-majors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/co-ops-arent-just-for-business-and-engineering-majors\/","title":{"rendered":"Co-ops Aren’t Just for Business and Engineering Majors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cooperative education provides a student the chance to test-drive a career before graduation. Unlike an internship, co-ops usually require a full-time commitment and are paid. While engineering and applied science students have traditionally completed co-ops, students across all majors are now finding value in obtaining co-op opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

*This article is sponsored by Rochester Institute of Technology\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Rochester Institute of Technology<\/span><\/a> provides one of the largest co-op programs worldwide. According to RIT\u2019s <\/span>Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education,<\/span><\/a> \u201cmore than 4,500 RIT students complete over 6,200 co-op assignments each year and are employed by more than 3,400 employers throughout the U.S. and abroad.\u201d RIT\u2019s approach to experiential education includes several options, including mandatory and optional co-ops.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But why would a student with a creative or liberal arts major want to complete a co-op?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer remains the same across all disciplines, regardless of the degree program. Co-ops provide the hands-on job experience needed to help propel a student\u2019s career forward after graduation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Employment exploration\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Students who complete co-ops can count on developing professional skills that complement their academic major.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCo-ops are not required as part of my major, but a personal goal of mine was to get as much real-world experience as possible over the summer,\u201d says Trisha Pickelhaupt, a junior studying Photographic & Imaging Arts at RIT.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the summer of 2019, she took part in a digital media co-op for a broadcast news organization owned by the Walt Disney Company. As with many entry-level jobs, students are expected to master the basics of the position before progressing into handling more in-depth tasks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy specialty is video editing, but I wasn\u2019t able to do that right away. I had to work my way up. I started with publishing content on their website. I cut broadcast clips and used their site\u2019s editor platform to publish them. I had to catalog clips, learn about titles, and write descriptions. After I showed my team I was trustworthy, I started getting more exciting things to do.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pickelhaupt\u2019s co-op gave her more than just a taste of working in a fast-paced newsroom. She also received mentorship from an RIT alumna employed with the organization.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we figured out we had RIT in common, we really clicked. She mentored me and was patient with all the questions I had. She was also willing to let me assist on larger projects, like helping with interviews.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Establishing a network of professional connections is one desirable outcome of completing a co-op, in addition to giving students tangible experience to add to their resume or portfolio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe most rewarding part was being given content to edit that would be seen by millions of people across different digital platforms.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Regardless of major, all co-op students can benefit from the advice Pickelhaupt had to give first-time co-op seekers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou’re there to learn\u2014take a lot of notes. Ask a lot of questions, and try and meet as many people as possible. I reached out to other professionals and asked people to talk with me which led to freelance opportunities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Locating opportunities\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

So how exactly does a student apply for a co-op? Most colleges provide students with access to a job database that includes co-op opportunities as a result of employer relationships developed by the career services staff. RIT student Elisabeth Ose-Kwame turned to Handshake, the system RIT currently uses as the central source of co-op job opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHandshake is like LinkedIn, but geared toward co-ops, internships, and job opportunities for college students. You can apply for opportunities by uploading your resume and submitting it straight through the portal,\u201d says Osei-Kwame. Students can also speak to their career center advisors or search popular job websites for opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As an Advertising and Public Relations major, Osei-Kwame was required to complete a co-op as part of her degree program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI worked for Abiomed, a company that manufactures medical devices. My role included patient advocacy and corporate communications. Because I hadn\u2019t spent much time outside of New York state, I chose to go to their corporate headquarters in Massachusetts for the semester to try something new.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Osei-Kwame brings up a great point\u2014co-ops can allow students to relocate for a semester and experience a new environment. Most schools also provide international options for students as well. The pay students earn while on co-op helps offset living expenses. Some students are able to save enough money to help with tuition charges when they return to school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are considering relocating for a co-op, make sure you do your research and cover your bases. Look at housing prices. Ask your company if they offer a housing stipend. And don\u2019t forget to turn to your school \u2014 they could help you find <\/span>funding or a scholarship<\/span><\/a> to help you out.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Interested in learning more about co-ops? Ask the career advisors at your school where to find opportunities in your area. And remember, just because your major isn\u2019t traditionally associated with co-ops doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t take advantage of this opportunity to get valuable experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cooperative education provides a student the chance to test-drive a career before graduation. Unlike an internship, co-ops usually require a full-time commitment and are paid. While engineering and applied science students have traditionally completed co-ops, students across all majors are now finding value in obtaining co-op opportunities.\u00a0 *This article is sponsored by Rochester Institute of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":12217,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[3469,3471,3780,3779],"class_list":{"0":"post-12216","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-colleges","8":"tag-co-op","9":"tag-cooperative-education","10":"tag-experimental-education","11":"tag-rochester-institute-of-technology","12":"ad_tags-rochester-institute-of-technology"},"better_featured_image":{"id":12217,"alt_text":"cooperative education opportunity for students not in business or engineering","caption":"Some students working and 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