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What is an engineering internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Joseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCE,
Robert Taylor
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An engineering internship offers students or recent graduates the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field of engineering. Typically, engineering internships are offered by companies seeking to recruit new talent and provide an opportunity for interns to work on real-world projects alongside experienced professionals. Interns assist with research, design work, and testing of new products and systems. Some engineering internships offer training and mentorship programs to help develop their technical skills and professional networks.

What general advice would you give to an engineering internship?

Joseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCEJoseph Reichenberger PE [CA AZ HI NM NV], BCEE, F.ASCE LinkedIn profile

Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, Website

I can only speak to a civil engineering graduate. Investigate all employment opportunities that are looking for entry-level civil engineers, even if it is not your "preferred subdiscipline." Work through the university career center; subscribe to blogs and organization newsletters (Linked-in etc. too) that contain industry news and job notices. Before you apply, research the company on the web. What new projects have they picked up? Or "I noticed you do a lot of xxx type projects. I'd really like to work on this type, and have focused my education toward those types of projects." Make sure this is in your cover letter and focus the resume toward that. This means that each resume and cover letter you send out has to be customized.

If you get to an interview, do more research so you can speak intelligently about the company or organization you are interviewing with. Be attentive; look the interviewer in the eyes and be confident. If you get the job and it's close to what you were looking for, accept it and try it out. The important thing for an entry-level engineer is to get experience. I believe it is important to not try to find the "perfect job" because that may leave you in the cold.

I had a mechanical engineering graduate come to me as part of an honor society faculty interview a number of years ago. After chatting a while, I asked the student what he wanted to do when he graduated. He told me he wanted to design roller coasters. I told him I think that's great, but there are probably only about 3 or 4 jobs like that in the U.S. Don't be that particular. Then I went on to tell him that when I got out of school I worked for the County of Los Angeles designing drains and channels and there was a colleague with about the same experience I had and he told me he was leaving and taking a job near Lake Tahoe. I told him sounds like a great location; what are you going to do? He told me he was going to a firm that designs ski lifts, something he was fascinated with. The advice here is to never lose sight of your goal, but there may be a few "stops" along the way.
ScoreEngineering InternshipUS Average
Salary
3.3

Avg. Salary $41,918

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
6.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.68%

Asian 11.21%

Black or African American 8.80%

Hispanic or Latino 15.44%

Unknown 4.82%

White 59.06%

Gender

female 19.53%

male 80.47%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.2

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an engineering internship?

Pros

  • Gain practical hands-on experience in the field

  • Exposure to different engineering disciplines and industries

  • Chance to work with and learn from experienced professionals

  • Possibility of receiving a job offer after completion of the internship

  • Networking opportunities with industry professionals

Cons

  • Potential for menial or repetitive tasks

  • High competition for intern positions, leading to rejection or no offers

  • Limited opportunity for advancement within the company as an intern

  • Potentially hazardous work environment, particularly in certain engineering fields

  • Risk of becoming disenchanted with the field or company after the internship experience.

Engineering internship career paths

Key steps to become an engineering internship

  1. Explore engineering internship education requirements

    Most common engineering internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.6 %

    Master's

    10.7 %

    Associate

    7.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific engineering internship skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Engineering Intern14.76%
    Python10.33%
    C++6.57%
    Java5.26%
    PowerPoint4.53%
  3. Complete relevant engineering internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New engineering interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an engineering internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real engineering internship resumes.
  4. Gain additional engineering internship certifications

    Engineering internship certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific engineering internship certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for engineering interns include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and Six Sigma Green Belt.

    More About Certifications
  5. Research engineering internship duties and responsibilities

    • Manage various developing product samples, trial weaves and handlooms within PLM systems.
    • Assist manufacturing in debugging, RMA, and manufacturing process issues to achieve volume testing goals.
    • Maintain BOM (bill of materials) and manage the team in maintaining coordination between the customer requirements.
    • Assist in managing the finances of the company using python programming language to calculate the day to day profit.
  6. Prepare your engineering internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your engineering internship resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an engineering internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable engineering internship resume templates

    Build a professional engineering internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your engineering internship resume.
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    Engineering Internship Resume
  7. Apply for engineering internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an engineering internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first engineering internship job

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Average engineering internship salary

The average engineering internship salary in the United States is $41,918 per year or $20 per hour. Engineering internship salaries range between $27,000 and $63,000 per year.

Average engineering internship salary
$41,918 Yearly
$20.15 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do engineering interns rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

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Engineering internship reviews

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5.0
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

Learn much about different systems. Project management and worthy salary.

Cons

Stop and hold in regular degree of salary and responsibilities. I am so eager to learn much and so effective


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2020
Pros

I like creating and discovering new perspecrive and eliminate waste thinga.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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