Summer, Co-Op Placement Still OK

It is well known that, in tough economic times, the first thing that companies cut are summer internships and semester co-op positions. These jobs are frequently seen as elective or "nice to do" activities that are not core to company profitability. The lack of these opportunities leaves students with few options for getting professional experience.

Well, times don't get much tougher than they are right now. And yet, due to the strong traditional relationship between the PSE program at NC State and the paper industry, and because of the outstanding reputation of PSE students, we are pleased to report that internship and co-op placement is still OK.

This summer, 28 PSE students are engaged in summer internships with pulp and paper manufacturers and allied suppliers. While this number is significantly lower than the 55-70 students employed in a normal summer, it is much better than was projected for such a difficult year. Seven students are currently scheduled to be on a co-op in the industry for the upcoming fall semester.

If you represent a company that continues to employ NC State PSE students, despite the current economic circumstances -- please accept our deepest thanks.

Rising PSE juniors Dasha Karelov and Doug Kaminskas are working at the Rayonier mill in Fernandina Beach, Florida for the summer