The Case for Higher-Ed “Co-Op” Programs

Like many students, I waited months after graduation before receiving a job offer. Why this delay for many of the nation’s recent graduates? The answer, in part, is that most “entry-level” positions now require candidates to have one to three years of experience. In fact, roughly 61 percent of entry-level job postings now demand at least three years. How is a fresh graduate supposed to gain experience without years-long internships, which many students don’t pursue? A potential solution to this problem is for universities to adopt the “co-op” or cooperative model, in which students alternate between working for a company...