The Non-Traditional Way I Got My First Co-op at RIT

At RIT, about 80% of majors require a Cooperative Education (Co-op). A co-op allows you to alternate periods of full-time study with full-time paid work experience in your career field. It’s a great way to get hands-on experience, earn money, and build the résumé companies look for in new graduates. 

Each major has different co-op block requirements. As a mechanical engineering technology student, I am required to have four total blocks: a Spring-Summer block during my third year and a Summer-Fall block during my fifth year. Yes, fifth year, because my major requires 4 blocks, 2 of which take place during the school year. I graduate in a 5-year time frame instead of a typical fourth year. But before you get nervous, you do not pay tuition during your co-op block, and you are earning a real paycheck! You can also start your co-op journey whenever you’d like, as long as you fulfill your requirements before graduation. 

For example, I did my very first co-op block during this past summer. I interned at a local Rochester company, Machine Tool Research, and lived in campus housing. However, how I landed my co-op was a bit untraditional. 

During my second year, I attended both the fall and spring career fairs with little to no luck getting interviews. Despite feeling disheartened, I kept applying to different jobs through Career Connect and other job sites, but still hit dead ends.  Everything changed when I attended an RIT-hosted event. I was invited to a College of Engineering Technology (CET) alumni luncheon, where current students could network with previous CET graduates. I had zero expectations beyond hearing about the industry and making a few connections. 

Seated at my table were 3 other current students and 3 alumni. While hearing about the different companies they worked at, one piqued my interest. He worked as the Executive Vice President at a local Rochester Engineering company called Machine Tool Research. He compared the company to fixing up old cars and making them brand new. Machine Tool Research is a machine tool rebuilder specializing in custom builds, precision machining, and vintage equipment modernization. I was so intrigued by the idea of fixing up old machines like how others fix up old cars that I had to ask him about it. As the event ended, I asked him more questions about the company and if there was any way I could tour it or intern there one day. He gave me his LinkedIn, and from there we organized a tour of the company and an interview with the Head of Human Resources. I loved the tour and enjoyed the environment, and after a few weeks following my interview, I was offered an internship as an Application Sales Engineer. 

It was a realm of engineering I had never considered and enjoyed a lot more than I expected. Working in the office alongside a mentor, I gained hands-on experience in technical sales within the machine tool industry. I collaborated directly with customers and the engineering team to help prepare technically accurate sales proposals and cost estimates. I even got to see original engineering documents from the early 1920s when writing up technical proposals, and as the internship continued, I was even entrusted to make two of my own sales and proposals with guidance. It was an amazing opportunity for growth that not only expanded my engineering knowledge but also my interpersonal skills and my experience working in an office environment.

None of this would have been possible if I hadn’t attended a simple luncheon and put myself out there by asking more questions. Taking a chance gave me more confidence going into the next career fairs. Know that while it may be disheartening to not hear back from companies, there are other ways to find internships, so don’t give up hope!