Cooperative Education

A co-op student is one who is gaining paid work experience related to his/her major or career goal. The co-op earns academic credit for the work experience under the guidance of a Cal Poly Pomona faculty member. The work period should last at least one quarter on a half-time or full-time basis. Co-ops generally start their first work period some time between their late sophomores to early senior years.

If you are interested in gaining experience through Cal Poly Pomona's cooperative education program, visit the Cooperative Education website at http://coopweb.sci.csupomona.edu/index.php. In addition, some Cooperative Education opportunities may be posted on BroncoConnection.

Internships

An internship can be a great way to learn on-the-job.  There is no single definition of an internship – some internships can lead to academic credit, while some may not; some are paid while some are unpaid; some internships may lead to full time employment while some may not.  If you are seeking academic credit for an internship, check with you academic department to see what is required.

Your Internship Search

Searching for an internship  is a lot like looking for a job.  It is a good idea to start by letting your faculty advisor and academic department know that you are seeking an internship – at times, our academic departments receive internship listings that The Career Center does not.  They may be listed on your department's website.  Family, friends and your fellow students might also know about organizations that hire interns or provide work experience that can help you grow professionally.

The Career Center encourages organizations to post their internships on BroncoConnection.  Keep in mind that these listings are only the ones we have been sent, and are not representative of everything the world offers.  We also offer directories that can help you research organizations that may offer internships, and researching their websites can help you determine whether they offer an internship program that meets your needs.  Many general job search boards advertise internships along with regular positions.  In addition, there are a number of online internship boards that may provide internship listings in your field.  Online resources for engineering students are available here.