My son/daughter mentioned they are interested in completing a co-op, what is the difference between an internship and a co-op?
An internship is a one-semester assignment that occurs toward the end of a student’s academic program. The work assignment is project-oriented and, since training time is very short, the employer assumes that the student has most of the skills needed to do the job. Internships may be paid or un-paid, depending upon the student’s major and the nature of the employer (e.g. non-profit vs. for-profit). Cooperative education assignments are multi-semester commitments between the student and the employer. Since the student works two or more semesters for the same employer, more emphasis is spent on developing the student’s skills over time. Co-op assignments are always paid.
