Real-World Experience

Employers value practical experience gained prior to full-time employment. So finding workplace experience while you're still in school should be a priority. You can do this in community college—and maybe even while still in high school. Internships, cooperative education programs (co-ops), job shadowing, and competitions offer opportunities to learn from working professionals and to apply academic knowledge in a real-world context. Working as part of an operational team, you may gain invaluable practice designing, manufacturing, problem solving, and more. These opportunities may also help you decide if a particular career field is right for you and help you focus your future education.

First, watch the video about job shadowing, called Biotechnology Student Profile. After you've watched this video, check out the other two videos, which explain the ins and outs of internships and co-ops and show you what it's like to take part in a collegiate automotive engineering competition.