A Message to Co-op Employers
There are three parties involved in the Texas Tech University Cooperative Education Program – the College of Engineering,
the student, and the employer. This partnership works together so the student can learn and perform real-world engineering
functions under the supervision of engineering professionals.
What do you, the employer, gain by hiring TTU Co-op students?



Cooperative education allows you to identify our brightest and best students early on in their education and provides an
opportunity for early recruitment. It serves as an excellent long-range recruiting tool, as you can evaluate a co-op
student’s appropriateness for employment upon graduation.
Co-op provides a closer relationship between your company and the Texas Tech University College of Engineering. You
will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with students and faculty regarding knowledge and training needed for your
future employees.
The co-op experience increases the on-campus awareness of the technologies and procedures used in your company. As
students return to the classroom, they share their experiences with faculty and other students.
What do you need to do to have an effective Co-op Program?



You need to provide co-op work experiences that are directly related to a student’s field of study and level of
academic achievement. TTU engineering students typically begin a co-op experience after completing their sophomore
year. Our students are encouraged to complete three alternating work terms with the same company with the
expectation that they will be given increasing responsibility with each term. “Alternating work terms” means alternating
semesters at school with semesters in industry. Some employers prefer back-to-back work terms, and we allow this for
spring/summer or summer/fall. Local Lubbock employers may desire parallel work/school combination periods
whereby the student works 20 hours per week for four or more semesters, while also attending classes.
Appropriate supervision and evaluation are an integral part of the cooperative education process. Since co-op is a part
of the academic process, employers are asked to assist with the student’s growth and candidly evaluate the student’s
performance. In addition to gaining firsthand knowledge in their discipline, students are expected to gain self-confidence
in their problem-solving skills, grow in their understanding of professional and ethical responsibility, and increase the
proficiency of their communication and teamwork skills.
Employers are expected to pay a wage which is commensurate with the skill level of the co-op position. The average
co-op wage for a beginning co-op is approximately $15 - $36 per hour. Students use these wages as a way to pay partial
costs of their college education. Thus the co-op opportunity allows some students to continue in an engineering program
that they might not otherwise be able to afford.
How do you form a Co-op Program alliance with the TTU College of Engineering?


Use our career software, Job Grid, to find potential candidates. You will be able to post your Co-Op position and/or
search resumes.
To increase the visibility of your company’s Co-op opportunities on our campus, we invite you to participate in our
Engineering Job Fair and on-campus interviewing. If you would like to speak at an engineering campus organization
meeting, we will connect you with the appropriate organization’s leaders.
Mackenzie Broughton
Unit Coordinator, Career Services
College of Engineering ~ Texas Tech University
(806)-742-3451
Mackenzie.broughton@ttu.edu
www.coe.ttu.edu/careers