ST. PAUL, MN:  A survey released by The Marketplace and The Chronicle of Higher Education said that employers are looking for experience outside of the classroom.  That is, co-op and internship experiences are becoming increasingly important, if not required, for eventual full time employment.  This is supported by a recent student survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 63 percent of paid interns in the class of 2012 had at least one job offer when they graduated. Of those who did no internship, only about 40 percent had an offer.

This is not new news to ISE students at the University of Florida, where it is stressed early in their education (in the Introduction to ISE course, if not sooner) that an internship or co-op experience is highly desired on an applicant’s resume.  Furthermore, the experience gives the student the opportunity to “test the waters” on potential career avenues, as there are many paths for ISEs to take.  According to our internal student survey, 84% of students in the program had participated in at least one internship or co-op in the 2012 academic year.