3.5. Co-op and Internships

One of the biggest advantages you have as a university student is access to co-op and internship opportunities.

The staff behind these programs maintain long-term partnerships with companies specifically to hire students — including for roles that are never publicly posted.

The salary of accredited co-op programs students are often subsidized by the government, which means companies are financially incentivized to hire students. In other words, being a student makes you cheaper to hire, and that opens doors that won’t be there once you graduate.

If your university offers a co-op program, you should absolutely take advantage of it.

Even if joining co-op extends your degree by a term or two, it’s worth it. A student who graduates in five years with three internships is in a much stronger position than one who finishes in four with none.

The tech industry values experience. Co-op is your best chance to gain it before you graduate.

Co-op Staff Are Not Usually Technical

It’s important to understand that the people who run your university’s co-op office are career advisors — not software engineers.

They’re there to help guide you through applications and hiring processes, but they may not fully grasp what makes a candidate stand out in tech. Their resume tips, mock interviews, and job search advice can be helpful — but often generic or geared toward all fields, not specifically software engineering.

Don’t rely solely on them for technical interview prep or resume feedback. Their guidance might overemphasize academic achievements or fail to highlight what tech employers really care about: practical skills, real projects, and hands-on experience.

Instead, seek advice from upper-year students, mentors, or professionals already working in the industry. They’ll help you understand what employers are actually looking for — and how to present yourself in a way that gets results.