Differences between a Co-op and an Internship

Often, the question of co-op vs. internship confuses a student. A co-op provides you with more opportunities to combine multiple periods of employment that are directly related to your area of study with different terms of coursework. Internships on the other hand are trainings that are generally undertaken during vacations. The article provides details regarding the two and contains a few questions and answers to differentiate between co-ops and internships.

What is an Internship?

An internship is a short-term work experience which students in the second year or final year of their college are required to do as a part of their academic course requirement. Those indulging in an internship are able to get practical experience in a field or area in which they hold an interest and wish to pursue a career. Many times students who perform well and appear promising obtain a job offer as well from the company they are interning for. The duration of an internship can be either a few weeks or months. They can be paid as well as unpaid.

The main idea of an internship is to help students use their theoretical knowledge in a real-world set-up. Students tend to gain professional skills such as leadership qualities, communication abilities, problem-solving abilities, etc. while being in an internship. The connections which they build here help them in the long run. An intern always works under a guide or a mentor, who holds some position in the company. That mentor along with sharing his experience with the intern also helps him ace his or her many skills, learn new things and assist them in reaching his/her goals.

Also Read:

• Internship Certificates
• Role of Internships for Indian Students Abroad

What is a Co-op?

A co-op or cooperative education is a structured education programme which combines practical work experience with classroom learning. Through a co-op, students obtain significant hands-on experience and polish their understanding and knowledge which helps them in the long run. These are mostly paid and students along with acquiring some experience are able to get some compensation.

What is the difference between internships and co-op?

• Both are work experiences related to your academic program. Internships are usually one term long. Internships are usually undertaken during summer. Depending on the course, 30-80% of students are required to do an internship.
• Co-ops, on the other hand, are usually multi-term. Work schedules vary depending on when you should be attending classes and when the employer needs you at work.

Are internships and co-ops full-time or part-time?

• Internships can be either full-time or part-time depending on employers' needs. The way every employer chooses to structure an intern program will be different. Some internship programs are very formal and structured while others offer a lot more flexibility to negotiate terms.
• On the other hand, co-ops are always full-time positions.

Are internships and co-ops paid or unpaid?

• Internships can either be paid or unpaid. This depends on employers' preferences, career fields, and job market supply and demand conditions.
• Co-op positions are always paid.

Am I guaranteed a co-op or internship position?

• Applying for a co-op or internship position is competitive, and no college or university can promise either an internship or co-op. Once the employers receive your resume, they evaluate it and compare you to other applicants. Students with higher GPAs and relevant extracurricular experience are most likely to receive job offers. Like any other job search, employers will evaluate your interpersonal, and communication skillsets.

When should I start looking for internships and co-ops?

• For summer internships, you should start looking in the fall and keep looking through spring until you get a position.
• For co-op positions, you should start looking at least one semester before you plan to start work.

Do I write call employers?

• If you are applying through job advertisements, do as the posting instructs. If you wish to contact the employer to ask if they offer internships, you can do one of the following:
  • Write an email to a specific individual at the organization and follow up with a phone call
  • Call to ask for job openings or the name of the person you should write to and follow up with a cover letter and resume.

List of Universities and Colleges Offering Internships & Co-ops 

Given below is a tabular list of various higher education institutes across the world which offer internships and co-ops to international students.

Internships	Co-Ops
University of Oxford, UK	University of Ottawa, Canada
King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia	University of Cincinnati, USA
United Nations University, Japan	Kettering University, USA
Harvard University, USA	Clemson University, USA
The University of Sydney, Australia	Lincoln University, UK
Institute of Science & Technology (IST), Austria	University of Kentucky, UK
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore	University of Victoria, Canada
University of Michigan, USA	University of Queensland, Australia
University of Houston, USA	Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Considering Cooperative Education

Cooperative education is good for those who wish to work for a particular organisation for a long time till the time their education is completed. Students will have to work full-time in the same organisation. 

Considering Internship

You may want to consider an internship when you want a shorter work experience program within one position. Internships usually only last for the period of one semester, between 10 and 12 weeks, although some internship programs may last longer.