Getting ready for the real world
From their first semester through the countdown to commencement—Ohio State College of Engineering students are prepared for career success.
More than 8,200 undergraduates study 15 majors across 12 departments—from aerospace engineering to computer science. But they all have one thing in common: they are prepared to contribute immediately to the organizations and companies that eagerly interview and ultimately hire them. Many will evolve as leaders of those companies, while others will launch their own enterprises.
By the end of their first month of college, Buckeye engineers have been immersed in a supportive environment, including advisers, faculty, staff, upperclassmen and even alumni. First-year classes include guest presentations from industry leaders discussing the myriad roles engineers play in successful companies.
“These projects start to build on the idea that engineering is a team sport. The fact that you can work on the same project with students from different majors is representative of what you’ll see out in the real world anyway,” said David Tomasko, associate dean of undergraduate education and student services for the College of Engineering.
Classes in years two, three and four emphasize experiential—or hands-on—learning with frequent group projects and industry case studies. Several programs have revamped their second-year curriculum in recent years, changing the nature of introductory major classes to be lab-based, and much more engaging, explained Tomasko.
“For example, every mechanical engineering major now has to get experience making something in the machine shop,” he said. “That’s pretty incredible when you consider how large the major is.”
As seniors, students tackle a real-world problem as a team during a one- to two-semester long capstone project, which are often sponsored and mentored by Fortune 500 companies or humanitarian non-profit organizations. Students have the option of participating in the Multidisciplinary Engineering Capstone Program, which pairs them with peers from across the university—including business, health sciences and humanities students—to solve an interdisciplinary problem.
“Multidisciplinary capstone program, in many ways, is as close to mimicking real-life and the real practice of engineering as a university can get,” explained Tomasko. “You take students who are within a year of joining the profession, pair them with students who have different backgrounds to work on a project that someone is paying for, with real budget implications and a real customer.”
Going beyond the classroom
When chemical engineering major Mary-Kate Mullinger first heard about Engineering Career Services (ECS), she wasn’t quite sure she needed their help. Five years later, after learning at ECS workshops how to sell herself and scoring her first internship at a career fair, she sees the office as a valuable resource and recommends it to as many students as she can. Now entering her senior year, Mullinger looks forward to learning how to sharpen her job search skills and meeting recruiters during the Engineering Career Success Conference, designed specifically for graduating students.
Thanks to their stellar reputation, it isn’t difficult to find companies who want to hire Buckeye engineers like Mullinger, said Engineering Career Services Director Amy Thaci. “Employers love our students and their work ethic.”
Top employers of Ohio State engineering students include GE, Honda, Ford, Eaton, GM, Marathon Petroleum, Procter & Gamble and IBM, to name just a few.
“General Electric continues to be impressed with the talented engineering students at The Ohio State University. They have a very strong foundation of engineering fundamentals and good interpersonal skills, which are vital to being a successful engineer at GE,” said GE Aviation Principal Engineer Kirk Montgomery. “The students come into the various GE businesses and make an impact immediately, which is a great boost for the businesses.”
Columbus-based CoverMyMeds, one of the fastest growing technology companies in the U.S., has also tapped into Ohio State’s engineering talent well often.
“We're fortunate to have Ohio State right here in our backyard and the Buckeye engineers we have hired have done great work right from day one. We've come to rely on Ohio State as a dependable source of great talent to add to our growing teams,” said Senior Vice President of Talent Alan Gilbert. “And any time we can get a talented Ohio State grad to stay right here in Columbus, that's a win.”
Many employers and alumni also provide feedback on the college’s degree programs through their involvement in department Industrial Advisory Boards and the college’s External Advisory Council.
Students also have multiple opportunities to gain hands-on experience outside the classroom, through undergraduate research, education abroad programs, and the more than 100 student organizations and competition teams available to engineering students. Not surprisingly, leaders of engineering student organizations and teams often have their choice of internship and job offers.
It all adds up to an environment that helps students succeed—no matter where their dreams may take them. Fifth-year electrical engineering major Michael Fearer is still deciding if he’ll pursue his fledgling internet business full time after graduation or accept one of the multiple job offers he’s already received. He’s confident that his Ohio State education has prepared him well whatever path he chooses.
“Ohio State is an amazing university. You go to school for the classes, but the connections you make here can be even more valuable and in that regard especially, Ohio State has a lot to offer.”
by Candi Clevenger, College of Engineering Communications, clevenger.87@osu.edu
