Internships for Engineering Students
Internships are a key way to learn outside the classroom and are essential to shaping your future as an engineer. They offer opportunities to explore career paths, apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, build your technical and professional skills, and expand your professional network. Internships also significantly strengthen your resume and improve your chances of landing a full-time role after graduation.
More than 95% of employers say hands-on experience is one of the most important factors when hiring recent graduates. Nearly half of those employers prefer that this experience comes directly from internship programs. Having an internship on your resume gives you a competitive edge over classmates who may not have that real-world experience.
Many engineering companies and government agencies have well-established internship programs, while others offer more ad-hoc positions based on current project needs. Internship experiences can vary in length, some last a summer, while others span a semester or even a full year. These opportunities may be full-time or part-time, depending on the employer’s and the student’s availability.
Most internships in engineering are paid, especially those listed through NAU’s engineering departments, Career Development, and Handshake.
How To Find Internships
Engineering students at NAU find internships through a variety of channels:
- Career Fairs & Employer Info Sessions: SCE hosts Career Fairs each semester, where students can connect directly with recruiters.
- Handshake: This is the university’s official job and internship portal, updated daily by employers looking for NAU talent.
- Faculty, Research Mentors, and Class Projects: Professors and research advisors often share opportunities or recommend students for internships aligned with their academic interests.
- Personal Network: Some students secure internships through connections such as family, friends, or past employers.
- Proactive Networking: Contacting companies directly or connecting with engineers via LinkedIn or NAU alumni platforms can open unexpected doors.
- Career Advisor: Work with a dedicated Career Advisor to build your internship search strategy, get feedback on your resume, and prepare for interviews.
When Can You Intern?
Engineering students at NAU can pursue internships during the summer, when many structured programs are offered by large companies, or throughout the academic year in part-time roles that may be available locally or remotely. Depending on the flexibility of the internship and their course load, students may choose to work full-time or part-time. Even short-term internship experiences can provide valuable insights, enhance technical and professional skills, and lay a strong foundation for future career opportunities.
Start your internship journey now:
- Log in to Handshake to explore open engineering internships.
- Schedule a meeting with your Career advisor to build a personalized search plan.
- Check out upcoming Career Fairs and mark your calendar.
- Reach out to faculty in your department for research-based internship leads.
- Explore opportunities through organizations like SWE, NSBE, IEEE, and ASCE, which often connect members to national and regional internships.
