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Tufts offers a wide variety of ways for students in the School of Engineering to develop—whether it be as community members, students, or working professionals. Outside of the multitude of research opportunities and labs where Jumbo engineers can gain hands-on experience, there is another, lesser known, experience for dedicated students: the Co-Op Program.

Launched in 2018, Tufts’ School of Engineering Co-Op Program is a relatively new initiative that has already had a large impact. Through this program, students majoring in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering (BME), Mechanical Engineering (ME), and Computer Science (CS) are able to spend a semester of their undergraduate career working full-time for a company of their choice. Since human factors engineering (HFE) and data science (DS) are available under the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science respectively, students in those majors are able to complete the program as well.

As students are not taking courses at Tufts during the semester they are working, they do not pay Tufts tuition. Though they remain Tufts students for the duration of the program, the full-time work also comes with a full-time salary offered by the company they work for. As all participants in co-ops are still Tufts students, they can still participate in varsity and club sports, use the library and other campus services, and attend any Tufts events, even though they are not enrolled in any courses or earning any academic credits during that time. Since students are not taking courses, they are not able to receive financial aid during this time, but all earnings from co-op opportunities will not count towards future financial aid eligibility. International students are also eligible for the program through curricular practical training, which authorizes off-campus experiential learning that is related to and integral for their field of study. For all students, this program focuses on providing on-the-job experiences for undergraduates interested in learning more about career opportunities in their engineering field by creating moments for students to network with and learn new skills from industry professionals.

All interested students must take a course, prior to their co-op, where they learn career development and basic employment competency skills like resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn and networking skills, interview and negotiation techniques, and the general expectations of being a working professional. Students enroll in different sections of the course specific to their major. Each course is facilitated by a Tufts faculty member from that specific department, along with the support of members of Tufts Career Services who not only teach students, but also help them make sure that they will be able to fit the program into their schedule. Industry guest speakers also make appearances, providing even more opportunities for networking and career development through their insight and expertise.

After taking the introductory course, students will move on to full-time work the following semester at a company whose work is in line with their program of study. Students are expected to take the skills they’ve learned in the introductory course to find a co-op that best fits their interests, with some help from the Career Center along the way. Robin Kahan, the Associate Director of Engineering Career Services in Tufts’ Career Center, says, “We are always looking for companies to hire students for co-ops, internships, or full-time positions.” Some companies will post positions to Tufts Career Center sites specifically for members of the program, which makes finding a position incredibly easy. Opportunities are posted by the companies on Handshake, the job aggregation site that Tufts uses for its students and alumni, and must include the title, pay, and benefits that students will be eligible for.

Though the program requires an academic semester, each full-time job that students work through the program takes six months to complete. For those who are worried about finding the time, or credits, to make this program fit within their schedule, Robin has only assurances. “Many students can do [the program] and graduate on-time because they have pre-matriculation credits, take courses during summers, or [take extra courses during the semester] while at Tufts.” Some students are such big fans of the program that they do it more than once. “We have had at least one student do two co-ops and graduate a year later than her class, but with a year of great experience under her belt.” Participating in the introductory course mentioned earlier does not necessitate participating in full-time professional work for a semester either. It can include just taking on an internship for the bulk of the semester or summer. Many students have “decided to do the three-month internship rather than do a co-op” depending on their situations and plans for their undergraduate careers and future. Regardless of where the course leads, on its own it is an incredible career development opportunity, both for the connections students are able to make and for the interview and workplace skills they gain which they can carry with them into their future. For some, that future may be even closer than they expected. According to Professor Qiaobing Xu, who teaches the introductory co-op course for BME students, “One student worked at Vaxess through this program and was recruited as a full-time employee after she graduated.”

So if you’re curious, reach out to someone involved in the program! You never know what doors may open for you when you do.