Electrical Engineering Student

Co-op Employer Information

Get access to a talented pool of highly motivated engineers-in-training

York College has one of the few engineering programs nationwide that require participation in one year of engineering cooperative work experience (co-op) in an industrial setting.

The York College Engineering Program offers bachelor of science degrees in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, and Computer Engineering. The programs were established to serve the needs of local business and industry, and York College has developed strong partnerships with a variety of local employers to fulfill its mission.

Nearly 53% of engineering alumni work in York County and 87% within a 50-mile radius.

Tyler Laucks

What employers should know about our co-op

  • The benefits of co-op, to you as an employer
    • Having year-round access to a pool of talented and highly motivated engineers-in-training.
    • Experiencing lower training and recruitment costs - and a higher retention rate among former participants who become entry-level employees.
    • Having access to Co-op Director and Co-op Advisor for job postings and student connections.
    • Establishing relationships with students who serve as campus goodwill ambassadors for your company.
    • Freeing up permanent employee's time for long-term projects.
  • What employers are saying about our co-op program

    The co-op program at York College has been a wonderful recruiting tool for us. We get to train and evaluate students while they are exposed to real-world engineering, with no strings attached. In the end, it is a win-win situation which allows us to hire well-qualified, full-time engineers that can really hit the ground running.

    Joe Druck, Chief Design Engineer, Weir American Hydro Corporation, York PA

    We continue to be impressed with the students from York College. We have hired their graduates and will continue to consider them for full-time employment in the future.

    Robert Hendrix, Engineering Manager, Metso Minerals Industries, Inc.

  • Building a recruiting strategy: Getting interest, posting positions, and employment timelines

    Contact the Engineering Co-op Program Director to build a recruiting strategy that will increase your visibility and build your presence among the students. The Co-op Employer Overview may answer some of your questions regarding co-op schedules, work assignments, etc. 

    Below are some suggestions for raising the interest of qualified students to your company:

    • Promote your company by posting co-op, part-time and full-time positions on Spartan Career Path, York College's internal career search engine.
    • Attend our annual career expo, host a recruiting day or conduct on-campus interviews.
    • Host a company tour or schedule a campus visit to speak with students.
    • Collaborate on research projects with students and faculty.
    • Provide support for scholarships/activities.

    Posting co-op positions is easy

    • The Engineering Co-op Program Director will:
      • Email reminders to employers to announce co-op hiring periods and obtain job postings,
      • Help you post your co-op position on Spartan Career Path
      • Assist with scheduling interviews.
    • Employers are encouraged to post positions at least three months in advance of the hiring date.
    • A review of credentials, interviews and offers should be completed at least one month prior to the official start date.

     Co-op employment timelines

    • Each co-op experience must last a minimum of 12 weeks (summer) and a minimum of 15 weeks (spring and fall).
    • Work weeks must be full-time
    • Students co-op each semester as follows:
      • Summer: May -  August (sophomore)
      • Spring: January - May (junior)
      • Fall: August - December (senior)
Contact Us
Engineering Co-Operative Program


Joanne Wilkes
Engineering Co-op Program Director
Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology
Phone:  717.815.1733
jwilkes@ycp.edu

Andrea Lazarus
Engineering Co-op & Computer Science Internship Program Assistant Director
Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology
Phone:  717.815.6602
alazaru2@ycp.edu