Co-op
Established in 1919, Drexel University’s Co-op program has a history of connecting top-tier students with forward-thinking employers. It is a partnership where students receive real-world industry experience, and companies benefit from highly skilled, motivated talent.
Our network of alumni and friends of the University are our greatest asset when it comes to continuously creating quality co-op opportunities for our students. Whether you’re interested in becoming a co-op employer or you want to learn about other ways to support the program, we would love to hear from you!
HIRE A CO-OP TO:
- Build a strong talent pipeline: Employing co-ops allows companies to recruit, train and evaluate potential full-time hires. It’s a proactive way to invest in future team members who already understand your culture and workflows.
- Inject fresh and innovative perspectives: Students bring new ideas and approaches shaped by their unique experiences and generational insight. Their contributions can challenge assumptions and spark creative solutions.
- Access cutting-edge skills and technologies: Co-op students are immersed in the newest tools, techniques and trends of their discipline. Their up-to-date knowledge can complement and enhance your existing capabilities.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Drexel’s Steinbright Career Development Center makes the process incredibly smooth. They provide comprehensive support with outreach, job description development, candidate matching and all related logistics — ensuring a streamlined experience from start to finish. Here are some resources to get started:
- Fill out this brief interest form and someone from the SCDC’s co-op employer relations team will be in touch to talk more about hiring a Drexel co-op.
- If you have specific questions you can email the employer relations team anytime at HireADragon@drexel.edu.
- Use the helpful "case for a co-op" email copy below to send a message to your supervisor or HR department, encouraging them to consider hiring a co-op at your company.
"Case for a Co-op" Email Template
Subject line: Proposal to Hire a Drexel Co-op Student
Preheader: Strategic Talent and Innovation Opportunity
Dear [Supervisor/HR Manager],
I’m reaching out to propose that we consider hiring a Drexel University co-op student. I believe that this initiative could bring immediate value to our team while also supporting our long-term talent strategy.
[Optional copy/if applicable:] As you might know, I graduated from Drexel and my co-op turned out to be an incredible learning opportunity that really helped shape my career path.
Drexel is widely recognized as a national leader in experiential learning, and its cooperative education program has a history of connecting highly-skilled and motivated students with employers.
Hiring a co-op student offers several advantages:
- Build a strong talent pipeline: Employing co-ops allows companies to recruit, train and evaluate potential full-time hires. It’s a proactive way to invest in future team members who already understand our culture and workflows.
- Inject fresh and innovative perspectives: Students bring new ideas and approaches shaped by their unique experiences and generational insight. Their contributions can challenge assumptions and spark creative solutions.
- Access cutting-edge skills and technologies: Co-op students are immersed in the newest tools, techniques and trends of their discipline. Their up-to-date knowledge can complement and enhance our existing capabilities.
- Proven performance and reliability: Over 85% of employers rate their co-op students as “very good” or “excellent.” These placements consistently deliver high-quality work and strong engagement.
I would be happy to help move this forward, and fortunately Drexel’s Steinbright Career Development Center makes the process incredibly smooth. They provide comprehensive support with outreach, job description development, candidate matching and all related logistics — ensuring a streamlined experience from start to finish.
I look forward to discussing next steps with you.
Warm regards,
CO-OP CYCLE TIMELINE
| Recruitment Timeline | Fall/Winter | Spring/Summer |
|---|---|---|
| Recruit students through the co-op portal | April - Late August | September - Mid February |
| Students work at your company | Mid September - March | April - Mid September |