Co-op Education passes pilot semester with an A+

The University of Idaho Coeur d'Alene is celebrating the success of a new program that gives computer science students valuable hands-on experience outside the classroom.

Cooperative Education, or Co-op Education, is an extended internship that places juniors and seniors with regional technology companies for 6-month periods to help these students build practical skills and give them a better understanding of what to expect when they enter full-time careers in their field.

"I wish that the co-op program, the concept, had been applied earlier, because I think it's a really great opportunity," said U of I grad and Safeguard Equipment co-founder/CTO John Thompson. "I would have done it myself. It gives the students a chance to get out in the real world."

The pilot program was completed by four North Idaho students who participated from June to December at Safeguard and the Ability App, both in Post Falls, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Spokane Valley and Micron Technology in Boise.

U of I junior Garrett Oetken, 20, spent his Co-op time at Safeguard, which invents and produces protective equipment for people who work around energized systems.

Oetken worked on a variety of projects, such as writing script that manages manufacturing processes and designing computers that go into machines that test product quality.

"It really helped with working as a team," he said. "I was pretty confident in my abilities to write code, and that obviously evolved while I was there."

Thanks to this program, Oetken was able to use 12 placeholder credits during the semester so he could focus on his work at Safeguard without juggling multiple classes.

And, unlike many traditional internships, Oetken was paid for his work, which allowed him to have this valuable experience without the financial concerns interns and students may face as they work toward their academic goals.

"As far as internships go, it was a really good wage," he said. "This definitely sustained everything... I didn't have to have any other job."

Co-op Education is a benefit to the students as well as the participating employers and businesses. Thompson said speaking personally, he wanted to pursue the Co-op program "because it was a great way of getting some talented work and working with talented students."

"We can prime them for job opportunities with Safeguard in the future," he said.

This idea is already taking shape — because of Oetken's experience with the internship, Safeguard has hired him part-time as he finishes his degree.

"It was an opportunity to invest in a future employee," Thompson said. "You get good help, but you’re also intervening in that person's curriculum, so it gives them a chance to better tailor their education to your company’s needs."

Charles Buck, associate vice president and center executive officer of U of I Coeur d'Alene, said the program was launched to "respond to the increasingly common refrain that higher education ought to provide practical on-the-job skills training for our students."

Co-op Education was launched with a grant from the Idaho STEM Action Center with a goal to create a win for students as well as the entities that participate.

"While we had some challenges with the nuts and bolts of the program, this first round was highly successful," Buck said. "With the labor market as tight as it is, an immediate benefit for the company is a capable set of hands to contribute to capacity. Computer science and engineering jobs are among the hardest to fill across the nation; engaging with skilled students a year or two before graduation is a great way to identify and secure a badly needed and already trained employee."

Buck said students qualify for the program after their first two years of college, and that includes North Idaho College's computer science students who transfer to U of I to complete their bachelor's degrees.

"A couple of our first Co-op students had just finished their sophomore year at NIC," he said. "It

was great to see these students embrace the U of I Co-op program even before they had deep experiences with U of I courses. Of course, U of I and NIC work very closely together on the computer science academic program.

"It is awesome to see that students just beginning their third year can be successful in the Co-op."

U of I has so far received positive feedback from the student employees as well as the program's industry partners.

"Students are honing skills that are not always easy to master in the classroom," said Katie Marshall, marketing and communications manager for U of I Coeur d'Alene. "All four students said they’ve felt like valued members of their professional teams over these six months. Employers tell us they’re excited to work with emerging talent and to have an opportunity to make the first connection with these needed computer scientists."

Following this pilot, the program will also open to a limited number of engineering students in Moscow next semester. Other U of I colleges will likely join in soon.

To participate, admitted U of I students must be at least juniors and have at least a 2.5 GPA. They're encouraged to speak with their advisers if interested in applying.

Industry partners are required to employ the students at competitive market rates, undergo brief training, participate in development of learning objectives and evaluation process and provide mentorship and feedback.

Applications are now being accepted for the June to December 2019 Co-op session.

Info: www.uidaho.edu/engr/programs/cda/coop