Why is undergraduate research so important?

Gator88NE
Thu, 24 Sep 2015 01:54:34 +0000

Employers are looking for something extra in a resume, other than your GPA. Internships and co-ops are great. UG research also has some value, as it provides work history, and an opportunities to learn new skills (outside of the class room). An interviewer may spend much of their time asking about the design club and less about the courses you’ve taken.

https://www.asme.org/career-education/articles/internships/engineering-internships-on-the-rise

http://www.apstemps.com/2015/05/04/do-engineering-students-need-internships-technical-jobs-nashville-tn/

With all that being said a recent survey done by Purdue (with Gallup) shows that only about 1/3 of students end up doing an internship/co-op. You can get by without one, but if that’s the case, you really need to find other ways to differentiate yourself, such as UG research, design teams, leadership roles in clubs, etc.

While college graduates who had on-the-job training or an internship double their odds of being fully engaged at work, only one in three students actually had these important experiences, according to the Gallup-Purdue Index. The findings highlight the importance of internship-related programs at Purdue University and the need to continue development of similar opportunities.

https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2014/Q4/only-1-in-3-college-students-getting-key-work-experience-they-need,-according-to-survey.html

Of course, the % that compete internships or co-ops vary by school. At some schools a co-op is required.

At MIT (not your typical engineering school):

Undergraduates after Graduation
•Twenty-one percent of 2014 bachelor’s degree graduates found jobs through on-campus recruiting and MIT-sponsored job listings.
•Nineteen percent had internships that led to a full-time job offer.
•Nineteen percent found jobs through a career fair.
•Eighteen percent found jobs through various networking venues, including MIT faculty and administrators, GECD contacts, and professional conferences.
•Seventy-eight percent of all graduating seniors completed internships while at MIT.

Another comparison point, based on UF’s graduation surveys (which ask if a graduating student completed an internship/co-op while at UF), 46% did not, but this drops down to 33% in the college of engineering. So, about 67% of engineers that completed the survey, had at least one internship while at UF.