Some time during the 20th century, the world had an epiphany and finally noticed a relationship between education and the state of the economy. Each year college enrollment is going up, and according to the Department of Education, some 1.5 million US college students earned their bachelors degrees in 2008. However, as employers have gotten progressively more selective about who they hire due to the financial problems, it's important for college students looking for a job after graduation to find something to set themselves apart from other college graduates.
Albert Einstein, arguably one of the greatest minds of the 20th century said, "The only source of knowledge is experience," and a Co-Op program can offer just that. In a Co-Op program, academics and a job are melded together to create a college student's dream--getting paid not only for working, but for working towards their degree. Co-Op programs usually begin in the middle of a college student's academic career and can span the duration of their college education. These programs offer a future grad some experience in the field they plan on entering, as well helping them establish important contacts they can network with in the future.
A similar opportunity is an internship. In an Internship, students have the opportunity to learn the ropes of what really happens on the job. An internship can occur outside of school or be a part of the final process of completing a degree. Like a Co-Op, an internship is an opportunity to get out of the classroom and get precious hands on experience in the real world. Unfortunately, unlike Co-Op programs, internships are not always paid and usually span a shorter time than a Co-Op experience.
