Co-op And Internship: Know The Difference

Co-op and internships are important as they are rewarding experiences for high school and college students to put their knowledge and skills to test and gain experience in a certain field. Co-op is also known as cooperative education.

One difference between a co-op and an internship is the time invested. The time invested in internships are brief and they last for about one semester or are completed over the summer. Cooperative education lasts longer than internships and the responsibilities also increase as the education progresses.

College students usually participate in various internships to gain experience in certain fields in different positions. When you want to work in a specific company for a long period of time you should consider cooperative education. They usually demand you to work full time and you stay in the company till you are in school.

Co-op programs are provided with two types of schedules which include alternating and parallel. In alternating, you work for one semester and attend classes for the next semester whereas for parallel you work and attend classes part time for the same semester.

If you are looking for a shorter work experience then you should look for an internship. Internships are often offered during summer and they usually last for 10 to 12 weeks. They can either be part time or full time.

The responsibilities offered during internships involve entry level tasks and they may vary. Since the duration of internship is smaller, you can take part in several internship programs than co-op programs.

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Also Read: 4 Key Differences Between Apprenticeship And Internship