Cooperative Education began in the early 1900s when Dr. Herman Schneider, an engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati, established a program so his students could obtain concrete experience in addition to their academic studies. Working with local employers, he implemented the alternating schedule between school and work that is used today. Cooperative Education offers students organized work experiences directly related to their academic major and career interests. They are designed to provide students with practical, hands-on training which can increase their marketability as job candidates. Cooperative education at UNO is a progressive, practical experience generally following an alternating pattern of work and attending school---e.g., attend UNO in the fall, work with employer in spring, attend UNO in summer, work with employer in fall, etc.
Perhaps the most significant difference between internships and cooperative education is that internships are typically concurrent with academic studies while cooperative education placements alternate with academic semesters. Cooperative education experiences have more stringent requirements related to time commitments (as described above) whereas internships vary in length---e.g., three months over the summer or an entire semester. Internships can be paid or unpaid, a semester or a summer and they may or may not include academic credit. Cooperative Education experiences require a minimum of two semesters of full-time work or a minimum of 4 semesters of part-time work, are not for academic credit, are paid positions and are progressive in nature with duties increasing with each semester.
Undergraduate
Students |
Graduate
Students |
- Minimum
of 2.5 overall GPA
- A declared
major
- Full-time
student status
- 30 earned
credit hours
- At least
two semesters until graduation
|
- Minimum
of 3.0 overall GPA
- Accepted
into a UNO Graduate school program
- Full-time
student status
- Completed
one semester in Graduate School
- At least
two semesters until graduation
- Graduate
students cannot hold a GA or TA position while employed in Cooperative
Education
|
Students who wish to enroll in the cooperative education program must register with the UNO Counseling and Career Center, complete and return the Cooperative Education Application, and submit a résumé to be eligible. (Additional company-specific requirements may apply.) The Counseling and Career Center will submit the applicant's packet to the company who will then interview candidates of their choosing.
Hourly wages vary range from $6.00 - $12.00 per hour, with technical positions generally receiving higher salaries. Some employers provide additional benefits such as paid holidays and sick days, and insurance, among others.
After applying for a Cooperative Education position, you will be notified by mail, e-mail or a phone call from the prospective employer or the UNO Counseling and Career Center to arrange for an interview. The interview should be regarded as a professional interview and the employer who will likely be considering multiple candidates for limited positions. In other words, placement is not guaranteed. Additionally, please remember that Cooperative Education positions should not be considered a guaranteed source of income and can be cancelled at any time based on an employer's needs.
The process for applying for a position with the Corps of Engineers is exactly the same as for other cooperative education positions. Once your information is sent to the Corps, they will place your file in "rotation" to their managers and supervisors. Based on the needs of their departments, you will be contacted for interviewing with one or more managers (depending on your major and profile). The normal hiring time from application submission to first day at the Corps is about 3 weeks (if not longer in some cases). Please also note that you will be subject to a federal background and security check.
Student's in cooperative education should following the following guidelines and meet the following requirements:
- Enroll in a Cooperative Education class (COBA, COLA, COEN, COSC, COGS or COED) for the semesters you are working. You are not required to enroll in the class when not working at the site.
- Adhere to the employer's work schedule, policies and procedures.
- Assume personal and professional responsibilities for your actions and activities.
- Meet academic, performance, and conduct standards set forth by UNO and the employer.
- Provide the employer and the UNO cooperative education coordinator with progress reports after each work period.
- Notify UNO and your employer of any changes in status.
Cooperative Education Application Form
