Co-op and Careers

Preparing for the real world, in the real world.
No one does it better than RIT.

What sets RIT graduates apart from their competitors isn’t just their degrees. It’s what they’ve accomplished before they’ve even received them.

RIT’s cooperative education program provides career experience, early and often, in a variety of industries and environments. These opportunities are intentional and purposeful—and designed for you to apply your skills in real-world settings, explore professional work environments, interact with industry experts, and enhance your perspectives.

The results?
Solid, career-focused experience.
A resume full of proven skills, abilities, and accomplishments.
The ability to hit the ground running from your first day on the job.

Topics

Key Facts

#6

Top School for Co-op or Internship Programs

Ranked among nation’s best in hands-on career preparation

95%

RIT’s outcomes are stellar, with students employed full-time, in grad school, or pursuing military service/volunteering within six months of graduation.

94%

Employers who said they would hire their co-op student for a full-time position

Cooperative Education

The best idea happening in higher education. 
And we rock at it.

It’s career planning at its finest: from career exploration and discovery, skill development, and the creation of career paths, to cooperative education opportunities, defining professional aspirations, and pursuing job opportunities. There’s a reason RIT is a world leader in cooperative education. 


3,400
Hiring organizations


4,595
Students on co-op


6,200
Co-op assignments


$65M
Earned by co-op students annually

6 Reasons Why RIT Co-op is the Best

RIT’s Outstanding Hiring Partners

We couldn’t possibly list all 3,400 of our hiring partners. It’s a list that keeps on growing. But here are just a few of the places around the world where you might find yourself working.

Adobe
Amazon
Apple
Dolby
DreamWorks Animation Google
Tommy Hilfiger
The Walt Disney Company

Citibank
Deloitte
Fidelity Investments Google
IBM
JPMorgan Chase
KPMG
Starbucks

American Greetings 
Constellation Brands
E! News
Forbes Media
Gannett
Google
Greenpeace
The Walt Disney Company

GE Aviation
HubSpot
IBM
Intel
Intuit
Oracle
REDCOM Laboratories 
Tesla Motors

BMW Manufacturing 
GE Aviation
Honda
iRobot
Lockheed Martin
Moog
NASA
SpaceX
Tesla Motors
Toyota

Advance Testing Company, Inc. 
American Bridge Company 
American Packaging Corporation 
BorgWarner
FracTracker Alliance
Green Electronics Council
The Walt Disney Company 
Wegmans Food Markets

Apple
Blizzard Entertainment 
Darkwind Media
EA Games
Epic Games
Microsoft
Warner Bros. Entertainment 
Zynga

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 
The Cleveland Clinic
Crouse Irving Memorial Hospital 
Duke University Health System 
Massachusetts General Hospital 
Roswell Park Cancer Institute 
Strong Memorial Hospital
SUNY Upstate Medical Center

CNN
FBI
Gannett
Library of Congress 
Museum of Modern Art 
Smithsonian Institution
U.S. Marshals
U.S. Secret Service

Bausch & Lomb, Valeant 
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield 
Facebook
Google
Johnson & Johnson
Ortho Clinical Diagnostics 
Raytheon Company 
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Albany Times-Union
Apple
Capture Integration
Disney Animation Studios 
Kodak Alaris
NASA Glenn Research Center 
Panavision
PlayStation

The Center for Youth
Dolomite Group
EagleDream Technologies 
Magna International
Monroe County Crime Laboratory 
Moog
Museum of Modern Art 
Poseidon Systems

Career Services

RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education has a full staff of coordinators that go beyond helping students find a co-op, internship, or full-time position. They provide valuable ongoing support.

Building

Career Prep Courses

In-depth professional development courses embedded in a student’s academic plan. Students from all colleges complete this course before their first co-op or internship.
 

Workshops

Designed to help you stand out among the competition, workshops focus on resume and cover letter writing, interview prep, career fair prep, and salary negotiation.
 

Speakers and Panels

Industry experts and employer partners visit campus to host workshops or speak on panels to help RIT students in their job search and career preparation.
 

Mock Interview Day

Held before each University-Wide Career Fair, Mock Interview Day helps students master the art of interviewing.
 

Employer Information Sessions

Coordinated employer visits maximize exposure to organizations for networking opportunities and discussions on potential co-op, internship, and full-time positions.
 

Co-op and Career News