How to Become an Engineering Internship

To get an engineering internship, you must have a good GPA, complete some upper-level courses toward your degree in engineering, and have a polished resume and cover letter.

The first step is to do your research.

The best place to start your internship search is with companies that are actively looking for interns. Engineering firms will typically advertise this information on their career page, job-seeking sites like indeed, or even craigslist. There are also specialized engineering internships websites.

There are two main types of internship positions - paid and unpaid. Unpaid positions usually offer some level of compensation for your time, such as course credit or a stipend to cover the cost of living experience. Unpaid internships are easier to get into for the obvious reason that there is less competition.

The second step is to take any required courses or training to help you land your dream engineering internship.

Before applying for an engineering internship, you should take any upper-level engineering courses that may be helpful. Some academic programs require specific courses and other requirements before you're eligible to apply for an internship.

For example, a civics or mechanical engineer may be required to take six hours of applicable electrical, civil, or mechanical engineering coursework first to be accepted into an Academic Internship Program. Suppose you're looking for an internship outside of academia, like at an engineering company, for example. In that case, you may not be required to take any specific courses, but the competition for these more prestigious paid internships is high.

The third step is to polish your resume and cover letter. You should include what's called an objective statement. This statement should be no more than one to two sentences in length. Try to highlight some examples of how you could utilize these skills listed below in real-world experiences.

Several qualities engineering companies look for in interns:

• Education (or relevant courses)

• Communication skills

• Computer skills

• Multi-tasking abilities

• Taking initiative

• Problem-solving skills

• Terrific work ethic

Finally, consider when during the semester is the best time to apply for an engineering internship. For example, you should start applying for engineering internships well before the start of the semester. For most students, this would be at the start of the spring semester in January. However, many networking events occur at the beginning of the school year in September or October, so it's important to attend these events and keep your plans in mind.

Engineer interns make around $33,291 a year ($15 an hour). However, many internships are unpaid or offer other compensation like school credit or stipends to cover the cost of living.

The average range for a paid engineering internship pays an average of $35,000 a year but can range as low as $15,000 a year to as high as $93,000 a year. A few engineer interns get lucky and can earn a lot more.

For example, a network engineer intern can make as much as $87,123 a year, and a data engineer intern can earn $75,000 a year. The type of engineer's internship will play a factor in how much you can potentially earn.

Type of engineers and average internship pay rate:

• Software engineer internship averages $63,000 a year

• Chemical engineers internship averages $41,000 per year

• Aerospace engineers internship averages $93,000 per year

• Industrial engineers internship averages $87,000 per year

• Biomedical engineers internship averages $62,000 per year.

• Civil engineers internship averages $42,000 per year

• Electrical engineers internship averages $77,000 per year

• Mechanical engineers internship averages $44,000 a year

Yes, $20 an hour is good for an internship. The average pay for an internship is $15 to $23 an hour.

Not all Internships are paid. However, many unpaid internships do provide some level of compensation, be it course credit or covering the cost of living expenses. Unpaid internships are also easier to get, which is understandable.

Paid internships are harder to get into but can be worth it. Depending on the location of the internship impacts how much you should expect to earn.

Top five states in paid internships positions:

• California - $28.00 an hour

• New York - $27.00 an hour

• The District of Columbia - $25.00 an hour

• Delaware - $25.00 an hour

• Arizona - $24.00 an hour

The bottom five states average pay for mechanical engineering internships:

• Iowa - $17.00 an hour

• South Dakota - $17.00 an hour

• North Dakota - $16.00 an hour

• Arkansas - $15.00 an hour

• Georgia - $15.00 an hour

Type of engineers and average internship pay rate:

• Software engineer internship - $30.21 an hour.

• Chemical engineers internship - $19.19 an hour

• Aerospace engineers internship - $ 44.71 an hour

• Industrial engineers internship - $41.83 an hour

• Biomedical engineer's internship - $29.71 an hour

• Civil engineers internship - $20.19 an hour

• Electrical engineers internship - $37.02 an hour

• Mechanical engineer internship - $21.02 an hour

No, an internship is not compulsory for engineering students. Doing an internship or a course is needed for engineering because it helps you build up a strong resume or CV.

In today's competitive job market, just getting a degree in engineering may not be good enough for a student to secure a job. It's important also to have industrial experience, and here, internship plays a crucial role in helping to achieve that.

In fact, companies hired 44% of new engineers directly from the employee internship program. If that wasn't enough, nearly 60% of students are unemployed after completing their engineering due to a lack of required skills and experience.

Internships are a wonderful chance to put what you learned in the classroom to use and practice. This is also an opportunity to learn your best skills, which ones need improvement, and how to work with company culture and politics.

Another benefit of an engineering internship is that it provides an opportunity to explore different fields and industries within engineering that they would not normally get to experience. Internships also allow building connections with engineering professionals, which can later help with career advice or when on the job market.

Engineering interns do a variety of duties depending on the industry.

The seven main types of engineers:

• Software engineers

• Chemical engineers

• Aerospace engineers

• Industrial engineers

• Biomedical engineers

• Civil engineers

• Electrical engineers

Responsibilities of an engineering intern can include:

• Undertaking any tasks as requested by members of staff

• Performing data collection and analysis

• Analyzing budget goals and cost estimates

• Provide project improvement recommendations

• Assisting with administrative duties

• Answering phones and emails

• Helping to ensure projects are completed on time

You should start applying for engineering internships well before the start of the semester of your junior or senior year of college.

For most students, this would be at the start of the spring semester in January. However, many networking events occur at the beginning of the school year in September or October, so it's important to attend these events and keep your plans in mind.

Most students will complete an internship during their junior or senior year to increase the chances of the internship leading to a job offer. However, it is more and more common for students to hold internships throughout the entire duration of their college career to gain experience. If you're interested in interning during your first year, go ahead and get your application submitted.

Many internships, especially competitive, paid programs with big-name companies, require you to have previous internship or extracurricular experience, so it is important to get started early if you can.

Through networking and research, you should decide which internships you will apply for and begin the application process as early as November and no later than January. Many summer internships are competitive and have multiple applicants vying for the position. The earlier the year you apply, the more likely you are to be considered for the internship.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when applying for summer internships:

• Consider applying for internships beginning your freshman year.

• Be familiar with the deadlines for certain internships.

• Get your resume ready.

• Network whenever possible.

• Follow application directions closely.

• Prepare for the interview.

The best internships for engineering students are based on the hands-on experience of the position, the prestige of the company, and the amount of money paid for the internship.

A great internship provides an engineering student with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in a specific career field. The most amazing internship experiences prepare future engineers for the work they hope to do after graduating from college. In addition, many employers seek employees who have the experience required to start in a new field.

Some of the best companies to gain engineering internship positions:

• Amazon Robotics. Allows students to work on real-world projects side-by-side with other employees and work toward advancing the productivity and efficiency of Amazon fulfillment centers.

• Arcadis. A global design, engineering, and management consultant company. Bechtel Corporation. A trusted engineering, construction, and project management partner.

• Bohler. Provides land development consulting and technical design services to owners and developers across commercial, institutional, and residential markets.

• Boston Scientific. A manufacturer of medical devices, was named a 2021 Fortune World's Most Admired Company.

• Clark Construction. Is one of the most experienced and respected building and civil construction firms in the United States.

• Dolby. An innovator in audio visual technology, provides impactful, collaboration-based internships where students are challenged to utilize their creativity while working on real-life projects alongside industry leaders.

• Gates Corporation. A leading manufacturer of application-specific fluid power and power transmission solutions, gives their engineering interns a hands-on and challenging experience.

• General Atomics. Founded in 1955, is an organization specializing in research and development.

• Hubbell Incorporated. Founded in 1988, has grown into an international manufacturer of quality electrical, lighting and power solutions with more than 75 brands used and recognized around the world.

• Kiewit. One of the largest construction and engineering organizations in North America, offers a robust internship program.

• Lockheed Martin's internship. Allows students to delve deeply into careers surrounding the future of technology and creativity while developing tools used in space.

• Shaw Industries. A top supplier of carpet, hardwood and other flooring products, is dedicated to supporting the next generation of engineers.