Attend Career Expo
Each year we hold a spring and fall Career EXPO. About 100 companies and hundreds of students and alumni attend, looking for full-time employment and co-op positions.
Be a Corporate Partner
The College of Engineering continues to be a leader in engineering education because of our relationships with partners like you.
how can your company benefit from hiring our students for co-op?
Sign up for our Employer Portal
Employers may sign up for GradLeaders, our Employer Engagement Portal for Engineering Students. On GradLeaders, you can:
- Register for Career EXPO
- Request to come on campus for information sessions, resume reviews and mock interviews
- Post co-op and full-time positions
- Complete co-op evaluations on students
For more information, contact our office or visit gradleaders.com/employer-support.
Ty Paris, Early Career Specialist
Owens Corning, Toledo, Ohio
"UToledo engineering co-ops have created a strong talent pipeline for our manufacturing leadership programs. These employees then continue to be skillful leaders in our company."
About Co-ops
In 1997 the UToledo College of Engineering implemented a mandatory cooperative education program. We are just one of eight programs in the U.S. to require co-ops.
Cooperative education is defined as a semester-long, full-time, paid work assignment that is directly related to a student's major. These work assignments alternate with semesters of on-campus course work. Each successive co-op experience is intended to increase in difficulty and level of responsibility.
Our goal is to provide students with the skills to be successful in the workforce. A high-quality co-op experience allows them to do that.
Each bachelor of science in engineering student is required to complete a minimum of three semester-long work experiences, with an option for two additional semesters of co-op. The first begins as early as the spring semester of the student's sophomore year.
Co-ops are optional for our engineering technology students.
How will my company benefit from the co-op program?
Our program provides you with qualified and highly motivated students. Hiring a co-op student can help reduce costs, since co-op students are generally paid below a starting professional's salary. You also ensure that you are training highly qualified employees. Many of our co-op companies hire their co-op students when they graduate.
We work with businesses to quickly find students to fill cooperative education positions and offer on-campus interviewing.
What can i expect from a co-op student?
Co-op students have varying levels of knowledge and skill, depending on how far along in the program they are and how many co-ops they have completed. We expect them to learn new tasks on co-op and for their job responsibilities to increase as their familiarity in the field improves. Simply put, co-op students should be able to fulfill their assignment as long as they receive the necessary tools and training.
WHAT'S A FAIR CO-OP SALARY?
A student's pay is generally up to company discretion. We offer a few guidelines to determine a fair salary:
- Students should be paid based on their job responsibilities.
- Student should be paid according to their value to the company.
- As responsibilities increase with each successful co-op, salaries should rise accordingly.
Refer to our table to get a sense of what other employers are paying our co-op students.
Hourly Salaries for Engineering Science Students
| Program | Sample size | Minimum salary | Average salary | Maximum salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bioengineering | 174 | $10.00 | $20.70 | $26.25 |
| Chemical and Environmental Engineering | 179 | $10.00 | $25.26 | $44.30 |
| Civil Engineering | 99 | $10.00 | $18.93 | $25.00 |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 156 | $10.00 | $22.25 | $38.46 |
| Electrical Engineering | 138 | $14.00 | $22.02 | $34.93 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 469 | $11.00 | $22.33 | $50.00 |
Hourly Salaries for Engineering Technology Students
| Program | Sample size | Minimum salary | Average salary | Maximum salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Engineering Tech | 18 | $14.00 | $18.75 | $33.70 |
| Computer Science and Engineering Tech | 23 | $15.00 | $21.65 | $25.24 |
| Electrical Engineering Tech | 3 | $10.00 | $21.25 | $23.50 |
| Information Tech | 6 | $18.00 | $18.68 | $23.44 |
| Mechanical Engineering Tech | 45 | $12.41 | $23.35 | $26.00 |
| Last Updated November 2023 | ||||
WHAT IF OUR COMPANY IS TOO FAR FOR STUDENTS TO COMMUTE FROM TOLEDO?
Many of our co-op employers are outside of the Toledo region. Some companies have the resources to compensate the student for relocation or have student housing available; but it is not required. We generally ask that a student's wages are able to cover the living expenses in the city in which they will be working.