1. What services are offered to students?

2. When should my son/daughter visit the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC)?

3. Where is ECAC located?  How do students contact ECAC for help?

4. How do students register for ECAC services?

5. What is an internship or co-op?  How can my son/daughter get one?

6. What is the Externship Program?

7. Does ECAC charge a user fee?

8. How can I help my son/daughter be a more marketable candidate for jobs or graduate school?
      
    

1.  What services are offered to students?

Career Counseling
ECAC offers individual counseling on all aspects of job search.  Counseling is on a walk-in basis during normal ECAC hours (Monday-Friday 8am-12noon, 1-4:45pm).  We can address many job search issues including resume help, interviewing, and salary negotiation.

Workshops and Special Events
ECAC offers workshops on all aspects of job search throughout the fall and spring semester, including workshops on resumes and cover letters, interview tips, site visits, and salary negotiation.

There are two career fairs each year that students can attend.  Engineering EXPO is the second largest student-run career fair in the nation (typically attracting more than 200 companies) and is held in late September.  The Engineering Co-op and Intern Fair is held in early February each year and attracts many companies.

Campus Recruiting
ECAC hosts companies during the fall and spring semesters for interviews on campus.  ECAC has 23 interview rooms located on the 3rd floor of ECJ.  Students must be registered with ECAC to participate in campus interviews.

Job Postings
Companies post job openings to the ECAC Web site (login required) and accessUT for full-time, part-time, intern, and co-op positions.  Possible job opportunities are added often, so students should check the sites regularly.

Students can also go to the ECAC office to check out the Job Postings binder.  Companies mail or fax job openings directly to ECAC.  The binder is updated monthly.

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2.  When should my son/daughter visit the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC)?
We like to see students as early as possible, and we encourage all students, freshmen included, to create a resume to be better prepared for their job search.

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3.  Where is ECAC located?  How do students contact ECAC for help?
ECAC is located in ECJ 2.400.  Students can contact the office by phone or e-mail, though we encourage students to visit our office in person.

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4.  How do students register for ECAC services?
Students new to ECAC must attend an orientation session to meet ECAC staff and learn more about services.  After the orientation session, students are able to log in, learn about the ECAC's online services, and begin their job search.

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5.  What is an internship or co-op?  How can my son/daughter get one?
An internship is an opportunity for a student of any classification to gain valuable, paid work experience.  Internships are a one-semester commitment worked full-time during the summer.

The Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program gives students an opportunity to obtain one year of work experience directly related to their field of study.  This program is completed while doing undergraduate work at The University by alternating semesters of work with semesters of on-campus classroom study for two or three semesters.

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6.  What is the Externship Program?
An externship is an opportunity for students to spend a day with an engineering company during the winter break.  They get to see first hand what professionals, in their major, do on a daily basis.

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7.  Does the ECAC charge a user fee?
ECAC is already funded through student service fees paid each semester.  Students do not pay any additional fees for using ECAC services.  However, students do need to register with ECAC to participate in campus interviewing.

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8.  How can I help my son/daughter be a more marketable candidate for jobs or graduate school?
Company recruiters look at different areas when deciding whom to interview and hire.  They look at GPA and academic awards, experience, technical skills, transferable skills (e.g., leadership skills, team skills), and school/community activities.  Students who are well rounded tend to fare the best.

Encourage your son/daughter to keep their GPA as high as possible, to get work experience while still in school (through an internship or co-op), and to participate in student activities such as engineering organizations and events.

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