If you are a student in the Penn State Behrend Plastics Engineering Technology program (PLTBD), co-ops are recommended but not required. You may find a co-op position on your own, or you may use Career Services at Penn State Behrend or Career Services at University Park. All co-ops must be approved by the Plastics Engineering

Technology Department Chair prior to taking the co-op. Three credits of approved co-op can be used as a substitute for one of the technical electives in the PLTBD program. Only one technical elective can be substituted regardless of the number of co-ops a student takes.

A co-op is a full-time paid position in a manufacturing or engineering capacity for a minimum period of 24 weeks. It is expected that a co-op will be a consecutive combination of a semester and summer job. These 24 weeks must be consecutive (exception: time allowed for vacation).

Registration: A student enrolled in a co-op is considered a full-time student by the University and therefore is still eligible to be covered by their parent’s medical insurance.

Preparing for a co-op: Contact and clear up any obligation/reservations with housing and food service and scholarships and/or grants.

To get credit for a co-op a student must:

  1. Prior to the co-op the student must review the “internship/co-op report” which outlines the requirements of the co-op.
  2. Provide the following information to the plastics program internship/co-op coordinator for approval prior to the commencement of the co-op. The following should be written in a word document with one copy kept by the coordinator and one by the student:
    1. Company name and address information
    2. Name, title, and contact information for your immediate supervisor (or other senior level person who you will be responsible to)
    3. Job description
    4. Scheduled start and end date of the co-op experience
  3. Enroll in one (1) credit for the first portion of the co-op (depending on when you start, this is the first summer or semester of the co-op) prior to the start of the co-op. To enroll, a student registers for one (1) credit of PL ET 495 using a Registration Drop Add form that must be approved by the plastics program internship/co-op coordinator. The coordinator will maintain records that distinguish the co-op from an internship.
  4. Enroll in one (1) credit for the second portion of the co-op (depending on when you start, this is the summer or semester following completion of the first portion of the co-op) within two weeks of the beginning of the summer session or the semester session.
  5. Enroll in one (1) credit for the third portion of the co-op within two weeks of the beginning of the summer session or the semester session.

Receiving co-op credit and grade:

  1. Within two weeks of the beginning of the co-op the student must contact the plastics program internship/co-op coordinator by email and provide the following update/confirmed information:
    1. Company name and address information
    2. Name, title and contact information for your immediate supervisor (or other senior level person who you will be responsible to)
    3. Job description
    4. Scheduled start and end date of the co-op experience
  2. During the co-op the student must keep a daily log
  3. Upon completion of the co-op a formal report must be submitted by the 15th week (see Internship/Co-op Report format)

If you are interested in a co-op, you should discuss your co-op opportunity with the Plastics Department Chair. A separate internship program is available if you wish to earn credit for summer internships. Internship credits cannot be used to substitute for any of the plastics program courses.