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Student Resources

The following materials are required by the Office of Engineering Professional Practice.

Your degree plan is a very important component of the co-op program.

Your degree plan is essentially a plan for the next five years, showing when you will be in school, what classes you will be taking while in school, and when you will go on co-op assignment. The degree plan is designed to help you plan ahead and stay on track academically. In writing this plan, you will need to look at when classes are offered in your major and how you will be able to fit them in while still completing the rotating co-op assignment schedule. The degree plan will be the most time-consuming component of your packet. Yet, it will be the one item you will be glad you completed, because you will refer to it until you graduate.

Because putting together your degree plan can be very time consuming and confusing, our office offers assistance with this though our Co-op Ambassadors. Our ambassadors, having had to put their own degree plans together, are more than willing to sit down with you and help you figure out your plan and answer questions. You can get in contact with our ambassadors by contacting our office by phone at 865-974-5323 to set up an appointment.

A degree plan template is available for download by logging into ProPractice and selecting the “Document Library” link on the left side of the page.

After you fill out your degree plan, YOU MUST GET YOUR DEGREE PLAN SIGNED BY YOUR ACADEMIC ADVISOR PRIOR TO TURNING IT INTO OUR OFFICE. Without a signed copy, your degree plan is null and void to our office. Once you have your signed copy of your degree plan, you can then turn it into our office in 161 Zeanah Engineering Complex.

Your resume is a vital part of this program.

Your work experience essentially begins with your resume, and we suggest that you do not enter into completing this task lightly. At this point in your career, you probably do not have a strong, solid resume, but that is fine. Employers who are looking for Co-op students know that students are building their resumes and are gaining valuable experience by working with their companies.

We offer the following advice in filling out your information:

  • Keep your resume to one (1) page. If your resume is already more than one page, please ask for suggestions. An appropriate font for resumes and business letters is Times New Roman. DO NOT include an Objective section to your resume—it is not pertinent information. References are not required for a co-op placement.
  • NAME AND ADDRESS: Your name should be at 20 font size and your email address at 14, make both bold. Your permanent and local address headings should be in bold print at 14 font size. Be sure to include a second contact address and phone number.
  • EDUCATION: DO NOT include high school information. Begin with your most recent college information (University of Tennessee). If you have transferred from another college or university, include this information after UT. Make sure you have the correct and most recent GPA information.
  • EXPERIENCE: Provide your most recent employment first. Be sure to have the correct company name and city/state/zip information. Include a job title and a description of each of your employment experiences. Use phrases, not sentences.
  • SKILLS: List computer/software skills here. Include any current course work that will enhance those skills.
  • HONORS/ACTIVITIES: This section should supply the potential employer with additional information regarding your strengths and interests. Include academic honors as well as any volunteer service you have completed.

A resume template is available for download by logging into ProPractice and selecting the “Document Library” link on the left side of the page. When you complete your resume, please upload it to the “Documents” section of your Interfase account.

Feel free to contact our office at 865-974-5323, by email at coop@utk.edu, or stop by our office in 161 Zeanah Engineering Complex, if you have any questions or concerns about your resume. One of our advisors will be willing to speak with you (usually by appointment). In addition, our ambassadors are a wonderful resource, for they have all completed resumes before and have been successfully hired in organizations. They will be able to answer your questions and help you narrow your focus on your resume.

Download a Resume Template

Completing a student agreement form is required to become a co-op or internship student through Engineering Professional Practice. This agreement is a contract between you and our office stating that you will adhere to the regulations established by our office in order to participate in the program.

The agreement requires you to sign your name at the bottom. We want to be sure that you read the agreement carefully; therefore, we ask that you sign at the bottom to show that you have read it, understand it, and agree to the process. An advisor in the office will go over this agreement with you at your first meeting. If at any time you have questions, please feel free to ask.

Please note that signing this agreement does not bind you to the Engineering Professional Practice program. The agreement simply ensures that you understand what is expected of you if you choose to proceed with the program.

 

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