What's the difference between internships and co-ops?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the differences between internships and co-ops, including aspects such as compensation, timing, and the experiences associated with each. Participants share personal experiences and seek clarification on the definitions and implications of both terms.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether internships are paid, expressing concern about traveling for unpaid positions.
  • Another participant describes internships as opportunities for college students to learn about a company and potentially secure future employment, suggesting that good internships typically offer higher pay.
  • A participant mentions that some internships may not pay due to competitive fields, while others offer compensation to attract candidates.
  • There is a suggestion that internships are generally pursued while still in college, with a distinction made that entry-level positions are sought after graduation.
  • One participant expresses confusion about the definitions of internships and co-ops, noting similarities in descriptions provided by others.
  • Another participant points out that unpaid internships do exist, citing an example from the computer science field.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the timing and nature of internships versus co-ops, with some agreeing that internships are primarily for college students while others question this distinction. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact differences between the two terms.

Contextual Notes

There are varying assumptions about the definitions of internships and co-ops, as well as the expectations regarding compensation and timing. Some participants reference personal experiences that may not be universally applicable.

JasonRox
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Do I get paid for these interns?

I'm looking for jobs basically anywhere in the world after I'm done school. Some places have internships, but the last thing I want to even consider is to fly to Europe on a internship that doesn't even pay.

Any advice?
 
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An intern is someone who works at a company and kind of learns the 'ins and outs' of what goes on there. If they do well and are well liked, the company might ask them to work for them after their internship. Its usually something you do in college to 'get a feel' for working at different places, as opposed to getting a job and hating it because you never saw what it was like before hand. Good internships pay much better than a low wage job, usually $20+ hour.
 
cyrusabdollahi said:
An intern is someone who works at a company and kind of learns the 'ins and outs' of what goes on there. If they do well and are well liked, the company might ask them to work for them after their internship. Its usually something you do in college to 'get a feel' for working at different places, as opposed to getting a job and hating it because you never saw what it was like before hand. Good internships pay much better than a low wage job, usually $20+ hour.

This was an after graduation internship.

Sounds good then. I'll give it a shot I guess.
 
You normally get internships while your still in college... Once you've graduated, you can try for entry level positions.
 
It really depends. I've been offered some internships that don't pay, because the field is so competitive that they don't need to pay people. Others pay to attract better candidates.
 
JasonRox,

I agree with Corneo, why are you looking for internships after graduation?
You should get Internships while your still in college so you can get an entry level position after graduation.

Its going to be hella hard to get an entry level position without an internship. Some company's won't even hire college grads unless they have internshipped at the company before.

I'm confused on what the difference between an internship and a co-op is, what you said an internship was cyrusabdollahi sounds exactly what someone told me a co-op was defined as.

But yes interns can be unpaid, for instance, you can get an internship as Comp Sci major at MTV, its unpaid though.
 
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