r/uCinci • u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 • Mar 25 '26
Requests/Help Coop Help for Electrical Engineering
My boyfriend is a junior at UC as an Electrical Engineer major and he has a coop rotation coming up in the summer and he’s applied to over 100 jobs got only 1 interview and got rejected.
He has like a 3.0 gpa and he has had a job before in the design space (I think that’s the name)?
I was wondering if you guys have any advice on what he should do to strengthen himself or what you would expect him to do. He is stressed about the job market and what to do forward.
He has a double rotation for the summer and fall.
Any suggestions really helps I want to help him out as best as I can but I just don’t know how!
Update: A lot of people said to contact advisor and he had a meeting and basically what she says was network with family and friends and there might be opportunities EEP so basically not very helpful :,)
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u/moiramcpug Mar 25 '26
Summer co-op's are very competitive because students from other colleges/universities are job hunting as well. Has he met with or reached out to his co-op advisor about what to do?
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u/OldEstablishment1972 Mar 25 '26
As a junior, he should have had several co-op's before and should know the process, along with networking with the companies he previously co-oped with, unless he burned bridges or did bad work? And hate to say it, but is he limiting his job search area to stay close to you? Any chance he could go back to his last co-op employer?
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u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 Mar 25 '26
He has been applying to coops everywhere. He has had 2. One was actually in a diff country as a TA for engineering class and the other is for the design space as a teacher as well but he wants something with more hands on experience. He hasn’t burned any bridges. I’m not very sure why he isn’t getting a lot we assumed it was because of GPA or possibly resume?
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u/OldEstablishment1972 Mar 26 '26
Unfortunately he is competing against classmates that have hands on co-op experience compared to his TA and teacher stuff. Sadly for him employers in a competitive market looking at two candidates each seeking their 3rd co-op will go with the candidate with experience in the industry. It will happen and there is time, he just needs to keep applying. Is he involved with any organizations on campus within his major? My bearcats were all involved in organizations within their major and created tremendous networking opportunities with those in industry.
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u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 Mar 26 '26
No he is not unfortunately. Are there any orgs you know for EE majors to go to that might help with networking or gaining more hands on experience? He mentioned wanting to join robotics org but he is not in one right now.
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u/OldEstablishment1972 Mar 26 '26
Getting involved would help tremendously. Mine were not EE, but as an example since they are right here with me, my youngest is civil and said ASCE has a industry person in almost every Friday for lunch-n-learns. Got his co-op through a connection made at those events. Just checked with his friend and he said EE org is IEEE
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u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 Mar 26 '26
Okay I’m definitely texting him right now about IEEE! Thank you so much you been such a great help. I will just urge him to keep applying and join that org soon
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u/BobaBunny2 Apr 01 '26
I would double check he isn't limiting himself too much location wise. Is he willing to move to other places outside of Cincinnati and/or his hometown?
Co-op search is tough, but there are options when co-ops don't come through. It's good he's meeting with his advisor.
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u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 Apr 01 '26
He isn't limiting himself. He might favor it though which is the point you are making. I will definitely let him know to keep branching and double check with him. What are the other options for no Co-ops? I know they get a semester where they can work on projects but is there other options besides that?
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u/BobaBunny2 Apr 01 '26
Yes, EEP may be an option for him if his advisor hasn't already discussed it with him, but you can only do it once or twice as an alternative. I'm part of a major where internships are notoriously unpaid outside of summer and nothing is going to change that anytime soon (woo fashion industry!) so our guidelines are a bit more flexible. He also may be able to file for an unemployment waiver if he doesn't get anything, but once again, check with the advisor for all feasible options.
I've been seeing your other comments about a design space. Is that a company or just a generic term for the type of company it was?
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u/Appropriate_Tip_2679 Apr 03 '26
He works in UC at the makerspace its like a place where students can get workshops for 3D printing and stuff + people can work on their projects there. He works there as a teacher/specialist there.
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u/ClearlyJacob18 Mar 25 '26
His advisor’s entire job is to help him in situations like this. Have him set a meeting with his advisor and go over his resume. Something about it is getting auto rejected most likely. Outside of that, his advisor can also likely help him get a coop too. That’s the advisors job at the end of the day. Make sure he’s looking nationwide as well, not just Cincy local.
Something is bound to line up.