Careers and Internships

If you're not sure what you want to do with your degree yet, don't worry—you've got time. However, part of our commitment to your education includes ensuring that you have all the resources you need to take your next step out of the college setting.

ME Career Fair

Each fall, the ME department invites all undergraduate and graduate students to an evening career fair where they can network with companies looking to hire engineers for careers, internships, or co-ops. Students will receive an invitation to this event early in the fall semester. This event is important to attend because it’s exclusive to ME students, so you are not competing with students from the entire College of Engineering.

University Career Fairs

Penn State has a career fair each semester. Hundreds of government, industry and corporate employers fill the Bryce Jordan Center to meet with students and accept resumes.

Co-ops and Internships

The Engineering Career Resources & Employer Relations office can help students find opportunities to gain real-world experience before they graduate. Co-ops and internships give students the hands-on experience and industry connections that make them stand out. In fact, more than 30 percent of graduating fourth-years said they found their full-time positions through their internships or co-ops.

Internships can be related to current or intended fields of study. They are typically limited to one semester, although you can hold multiple internships with the same company.

Co-ops are directly related to your major. They typically span three semesters with the same employer, alternating with semesters at Penn State. When you graduate with a co-op experience, you will have one full year of career-related experience on your resume and course credit for three semesters of co-ops.

Some companies that actively recruit interns and co-ops from Penn State include Air Products, General Electric, NASA, DuPont, Disney, and Ingersoll Rand.