Internships

Hope College engineering students typically participate in at least one engineering internship before they graduate. These internships are valuable learning experiences that integrate skills gained from coursework with real world applications. The Hope College Boerigter Center for Calling and Career helps students through the process of seeking and obtaining internship positions and offers a listing of locally available internships each year.

Career & Internship Preparation

Preparation for your future career is an exciting multi-year process that can begin even in your first year at Hope. Below are suggestions for steps you can take each year to help you learn about engineering careers and obtain internships.

Year One

• Begin drafting a résumé and visit the Boerigter Center for advice
• Talk to an engineering professor about career paths
• Complete a Handshake account
• Consider applying for a DiscoverWork job shadowing opportunity (mid-fall application deadline)
• Consider speaking with an engineering professor about summer research experiences at Hope
• Get involved with related clubs and organizations at Hope:
  • Engineers Without Borders
  • Society of Women Engineers
  • Hope College Formula Racing
    
  • United Society of Diverse Engineers

Year Two

• Meet with your academic advisor and the Boerigter Center staff early in the fall semester to discuss your interests and possible career paths
• Further develop your résumé (typically this will be part of an assignment in ENGS 220 Statics)
• Learn how to prepare a cover letter
• Begin to network by attending Friday seminars and talking with the speakers afterward
• Network and explore by applying for the DiscoverWork job shadowing program (mid-fall application deadline)
• Begin researching and applying for internship opportunities
• Attend a career fair at Hope, Calvin or GVSU (the Boerigter Center can help you prepare)

Year Three

• Create a LinkedIn account for networking, internships and job searches
• Research and apply for internships beginning at the end of August
• Attend one or more career fairs at Hope, Calvin or GVSU
• Utilize the Boerigter Center and Handshake to prepare for interviews, as well as finalize your résumé and applications
• Visit Handshake often for on-campus career and interviewing opportunites
• Attend the career fairs at Hope, Calvin or GVSU

Year Four

• Work with the Boerigter Center and your academic advisor to develop an effective plan for your job search strategy or graduate school application
• Attend the career fairs at Hope, Calvin or GVSU
• Complete an in-person or electronic mock interview through the Boerigter Center (typically this will be an assignment in ENGS 451 Introduction to Engineering Design)
• Focus on alumni networking by using the Boerigter Center's Career Resource Network and learning about Hope's Alumni Association

Fall Recruiting Fair

Each fall the Boerigter Center hosts a recruiting fair for engineering students and other majors. The fair typically occurs in early October.

Additional Information

Kinds of internships

Hope Students participate in a variety of internships and research experiences. Below is a partial list of companies that employed Hope engineering students during the past year.

• Gentex
• LG Chem
• Disher
• Ganthier Biomedical
• Bose North America
• SoundOff Signal
• Honeywell
• Eli Lily
• Lear Corporation
• Magna Glass
• Trinseo
• Consumers Energy
• Tiara Yachts
• Carus Corporation
• Innotec
• General Atomics
• Spectrum Health
• Ascent Aerospace
• Clarios
• SAF Holland
• Ceéntauri Corporation
• H.B. Fuller

Does Engineering have a co-op program?

Hope engineering does not have an official co-op program. Interested students should contact Matthew Smith (msmith@hope.edu) or an engineering faculty advisor. There are options for rearranging course schedules to make a semster long co-op possible, but early planning is crucial.

Preparing a cover letter, résumé or similar document

All Hope engineering students must prepare a résumé, normally as part of their second-year course sequence. The Boerigter Center also maintains a list of several helpful how-to guides related to the job search process.

Working part time during the year as an engineering intern

Yes, several local companies are often interested in hiring students to work part time during the school year. There may also be options for rearranging your course schedule to make it easier to work part time. See your engineering faculty advisor or contact Matthew Smith (msmith@hope.edu) to explore opportunities.