Colin Wattigney
OXFORD, Miss. – In today’s competitive job markets, college students are under great pressure to make themselves stand out among higher numbers of job seekers for lower numbers of positions. Ole Miss engineering students such as Colin Wattigney of New Orleans and Paul Furr of Pontotoc are taking advantage of cooperative education programs to give themselves a competitive edge.
More commonly known as “co-ops,” the program allows undergraduate engineering students to earn valuable experience in their area of potential career interest for a full academic semester. Many co-ops are paid positions and give students a chance to become more deeply involved with projects as opposed to a part-time internship.
Wattigney, a senior, is confident that his co-op experiences will serve him well in the future and make him a more viable candidate for job prospects. A mechanical engineering major, he has worked with General Electric Aviation in Batesville and BorgWarner Transmission Systems in Water Valley. Wattigney is also earning an emphasis in manufacturing through the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, where he serves as chairman of the CME Student Advisory Board.
“I hope to either pursue a career in the automotive manufacturing industry or in a private engineering consulting firm,” Wattigney said. “I firmly believe my co-op experience has enhanced my career opportunities. I learned a great deal of engineering and manufacturing skills that have expanded my classroom education such as 3-D CAD, prototype design and product flow.”
Furr, a senior chemical engineering student, has had a similar experience and feels that he benefitted from his time completing a co-op with Toyota Motor Manufacturing.
“Working at Toyota was an exciting experience in a lot of ways that I did not expect,” he said. “I knew about their reputation for building quality vehicles and their forward-thinking business practices, but I was not expecting to be exposed to an entirely new culture in the process. My business, data analysis and public speaking skills improved greatly.”
His preliminary goal is to earn a position as an engineer in the area of manufacturing or design after graduation next May. He has been involved with Tau Beta Pi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.
Both students encourage others considering a co-op to be well-prepared for the process, to take advantage of available resources and to start their search for a co-op early.
“Spend time perfecting your resume and attend the co-op and internship fairs on campus,” Wattigney said. “Be sure to follow through appropriately with any company with which you initiate communication.”
“I just began working in another co-op position with ExxonMobil because of an Ole Miss alumnus who cares about his alma mater and came here to recruit at Ole Miss,” Furr said. “Networking and making connections is very important in getting a co-op or full-time position.”
Ryan Upshaw, assistant dean for student services and co-op coordinator for the School of Engineering praised the students for their professionalism as interns.
“Paul and Colin are excellent examples of how Ole Miss engineering students are pursuing the highest levels of excellence,” Upshaw said. “They are making the most of their college experience by preparing themselves for the future today.”
For more information on the School of Engineering or co-op opportunities, visit the Engineering Dean’s Office, the UM Career Center or visit www.engineering.olemiss.edu.