Co-op / / Learn By Doing

Since 1919, other universities have attempted to catch up to a concept Kettering University perfected a century ago.

Students at Kettering gain an edge over their peers at other universities through employment with one of our more than 420 co-op partner organizations. These organizations range from start-up companies to nonprofit organizations to some of the largest corporations in the world.

Our founders realized that it was of vital importance for college graduates to be grounded in the theoretical concepts that could only be learned in the classroom, but also have immediate experience applying those concepts in real world settings through the co-op program. You wouldn’t train a musician without ever letting them play an instrument, so why should engineers, scientists, or business leaders be educated without ever working in the field to apply what they learn?

The purpose of the program

Cooperative and Experiential Education is the key experiential learning component of Kettering University’s academic program. It is best exemplified as a three-way partnership agreement between a student, an employer, and the university.

1. To provide students with progressively more responsible and productive experiences related to, and consistent with their academic program and professional goals.
2. To provide educational experiences that orientate and integrate students into productive and professional roles within their respective work environments or to prepare them for the next level of their educational pursuits.
3. To develop positive work-related habits, characteristics, and transferable skills which promote professionalism, leadership, ethical behavior, diversity, and global awareness.