rage employee Durbin. “The maturity and discipline they gain is usually reflected in the students' personal relations with others. After graduation, these associations often help ease the transition from student to professional,” he said.
composite design and fabrication, as well as structural design and analysis testing hardware, including a structronics bending apparatus and a rocket motor closure. Upon graduation, Whitmore decided to take a full-time job with AMRDEC.
Some may think co-op is code for “coffee fetcher,” but that could not be further from the truth. Students tackle the same issues and challenges that full-time employees face, and they are expected to “People contribute to the solution. “The team depends on you and expects you to provide input and help with the project,” said Spencer Norrell, ’13 civil engineering, who is a former co-op student and is now a full-time employee at Brasfield & Gorrie general contractors. “They want you to know every aspect of the industry including how to start and finish a construction project, as well as the business side,” he said.
“My co-op assignment was an opportunity to apply my classroom knowledge to the industry and give purpose to my coursework. see co-op and In addition, I was able to improve they think it’s something my technical ability and design different than a full-time experience, which prepared me for my senior design project,” said Whitmore.
job, but it’s better than a full-time job because they’re looking at you and your personality and how you fit with the company. It’s easier to get a job at that stage.”
Ryan Whitmore, ’14 mechanical engineering, worked with structural aerospace material functions during his co-op with the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. He specifically studied
Many co-op students find that they are able to apply their work experience back to the classroom and view learning in a new light.
“Learning in the classroom is focused on a particular topic, while working emphasizes how to solve a particular problem. That, in and of itself, can Spencer Norrell be very different, as your objectives ’13 civil engineering are so incongruous,” said Neely. “Through co-oping, I was finally able to understand why such an emphasis is placed on teaching how to learn.”
5 Auburn Engineering