Students

Set yourself up for success

Complete Co-operative Education Program internships and get a kick-start on your future engineering career. Work full-time or part-time over the semester or summer period for 3 or 6 months and receive a competitive salary. Use Co-op internships to explore different industry sectors, develop teamwork and communication skills and apply your theoretical knowledge in a practical context.

Gain practical experience

Learn practical, hands-on engineering skills that complement your formal studies.

Explore your options

Gain real life insights into engineering practice and make informed decisions about your future.

Graduate job-ready

Graduate with skills, employment experience and a new professional network.

Hear from Co-op student Marielle Salom

How it works

ENG4804 - Professional Practice (Co-operative Education) is open to all Bachelor of Engineering students (excluding Software Engineering) who are required to complete one of the following Professional Practice units: ENG4801, ENG4802, ENG4803, or ENG4804. This unit offers academic recognition for a paid internship you’ve already secured.

The unit is designed to seamlessly integrate your industry experience into your engineering degree.

Co-op internships can be undertaken either full-time or part-time, lasting 3 months over summer or 6 months during a semester

Interns receive a salary paid by the Co-op employer.

Time spent in Co-op internships counts towards your Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours.

The Co-op internship is offered through the Engineering Professional Practice unit (ENG4804), which is worth 6 credit points. For more information, please refer to the ENG4804 - Professional practice (Co-operative education).

Important Note: This unit is not available to Software Engineering students. Software Engineering students must follow their current course structure.

Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for ENG4804, you must: - Be enrolled in a Bachelor of Engineering course (excluding Software Engineering)

Have completed at least 72 credit points of Engineering-specific study
Have secured a paid internship relevant to your engineering discipline that aligns with the Semester for Unit ENG4804.

(ENG4804 only provides academic credit for paid internships that are current or upcoming at the time of enrolment in the unit. Internships completed before enrolling in the program generally cannot be counted retroactively).

Key Dates

Enrolments for ENG4804 are now open
Opportunities are advertised a couple of months before each Semester
Final submission date for the Confirmation of Employment Form is before the start of the relevant semester or summer term
We recommend applying as early as possible to avoid delays with enrolment or documentation

Internship opportunities & job board

The Co-op team does not directly place students into internships, but we do advertise Monash-sourced opportunities from our industry partners via the Co-op Advertising Portal.

Internship listings are posted on a rolling basis and align with employer hiring cycles, so we encourage you to check regularly.

These opportunities are competitive, and final hiring decisions are made by the employer.

You are also welcome to self-source your own paid internship. If you secure a position outside of UniHub, we can assess whether it meets the eligibility criteria for ENG4804.

Frequent Asked Questions

The internship location and other details are available in the position advertisement.
The Co-op program can recognise your externally sourced internship as long as it aligns with the program requirements. For further details, email the Co-op team at Eng.CoOp@monash.edu.
No, your internship period is fixed for the relevant Co-op term that you're undertaking.
The internship location is generally pre-determined and you would have knowledge of this beforehand. The location is based on the needs of the employer and is not changed based on individual preferences. It's encouraged to have open dialogue with your host if there are any special circumstances that could be considered.
A Co-op internship isn't mandatory, so you can choose which Co-op term is suitable for you. For application dates, see applying for Co-op.
You apply for the internship role knowing the work location, therefore determining whether it's a suitable distance from the beginning of the recruitment process.
This information will be provided to you as part of the onboarding and induction process. Please speak to the HR representative or host supervisor if there's any doubt about what you should wear.
As a Co-op student, you're an employee of the host organisation and you're entitled to sick leave and annual leave. You should follow the organisation's policies and speak to your supervisor if you need to take leave. If there's an emergency, refer to the appropriate protocol as part of the company policy. Always keep an open line of communication with your host supervisor.
Co-op students are considered as employees during their paid internship period. You'll receive all the benefits that a regular employee receives including holidays, superannuation, etc. If you agree to work on a public holiday, you should receive relevant compensation for your hours worked, just like a regular employee would receive. eg. overtime.
It's normal to have concerns during your internship placement. It's advisable to have an open line of communication with your industry host or supervisor where you can discuss any matters or concerns that may arise. The Monash Co-op team is also always available to assist with any queries or concerns at Eng.Coop@monash.edu or call (03) 9905 1840.

Frequent Asked Questions

The internship location and other details are available in the position advertisement.
The Co-op program can recognise your externally sourced internship as long as it aligns with the program requirements. For further details, email the Co-op team at Eng.CoOp@monash.edu.
No, your internship period is fixed for the relevant Co-op term that you're undertaking.
The internship location is generally pre-determined and you would have knowledge of this beforehand. The location is based on the needs of the employer and is not changed based on individual preferences. It's encouraged to have open dialogue with your host if there are any special circumstances that could be considered.
A Co-op internship isn't mandatory, so you can choose which Co-op term is suitable for you. For application dates, see applying for Co-op.
You apply for the internship role knowing the work location, therefore determining whether it's a suitable distance from the beginning of the recruitment process.
This information will be provided to you as part of the onboarding and induction process. Please speak to the HR representative or host supervisor if there's any doubt about what you should wear.
As a Co-op student, you're an employee of the host organisation and you're entitled to sick leave and annual leave. You should follow the organisation's policies and speak to your supervisor if you need to take leave. If there's an emergency, refer to the appropriate protocol as part of the company policy. Always keep an open line of communication with your host supervisor.
Co-op students are considered as employees during their paid internship period. You'll receive all the benefits that a regular employee receives including holidays, superannuation, etc. If you agree to work on a public holiday, you should receive relevant compensation for your hours worked, just like a regular employee would receive. eg. overtime.
It's normal to have concerns during your internship placement. It's advisable to have an open line of communication with your industry host or supervisor where you can discuss any matters or concerns that may arise. The Monash Co-op team is also always available to assist with any queries or concerns at Eng.Coop@monash.edu or call (03) 9905 1840.

If you have any questions about the Co-op Professional Practice unit, please email us at eng.coop@monash.edu.

Find out what Co-op students have to say

I can’t recommend the Co-op program highly enough, it’s where I've learned the most about my passions, knowledge and skills I will need to continue on this career path. It was the perfect challenge and I've really enjoyed trying to make good, simple decisions amidst the complexity of systems."
Read more here
Manning Peart
Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours) & Bachelor of Commerce

Australian Clinical Labs

I applied for the Co-op program because I had a goal to improve my programming skills. I saw an opportunity for a role with Webjet as a software engineering intern and knew this would be a great chance to challenge myself and get a start in industry. I had an incredible experience and cannot recommend the program enough.

Following my Co-op placement, I was offered a part-time role that I continued in Semester 2."
Inna Wilson
Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
(Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce

Webjet

When I started my 6 month Co-op internship at Nifty-Lift, I was apprehensive about starting my first position in an engineering firm with little industry experience. I was hoping to gain experience collaborating with professional engineers, improve my knowledge of manufacturing and apply the skills I'd learnt to real-world projects.

During my placement at Nifty-Lift, I was warmly welcomed, and learnt a lot about Design for Manufacturing."
Claude Dabare
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science

Nifty Lift

During my 12 month Downer cadetship, I was able to apply the many acquired skills such as force analysis and engineering drawings to assist in a range of tasks. I was based on-site at the Rail Depot and realised how much I enjoyed hands-on work, the fast-paced environment and interacting with different people.

The Co-Op program is a great opportunity to gain real-life experience in the engineering industry."
Emily Wang
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)

Downer Group

I applied for the co-op program, thinking it would improve my employability skills and get an internship. My co-op placement took me to BSA Limited, where I could explore a new career path I hadn't considered before, previously focusing on the field of medical devices. I took a semester off my studies to undertake my internship, which was a great time to experience the changing professional work environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

My experience there exceeded my expectations as I never envisioned working in the HVAC industry."
Dylan Jeyendra
Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
(Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedical Science

BSA Limited

I secured a 12 month Co-op internship with Reliance Worldwide Corporation. My initial expectations were to gain experience in my engineering discipline before going into the workforce. I had no professional working experience before my internship, so my placement was beyond anything I had anticipated from university learning.

At the end of my internship, I have been offered to continue my employment with RWC on an ongoing basis while I resume my studies, and I look forward to the opportunities that await in the future."
Rohit Kannachel
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)

RWC

Find out how to apply for a Co-op internship

Engineering Co-operative Education Program

Engineering Co-operative Education Program

Students

Start your career while you study

Gain practical experience

Explore your options

Graduate job-ready

How it works

Key Dates

Internship opportunities & job board

Engineering Cadet

Production Assistant

Undergraduate Engineer

Computer Systems Engineering Intern

Undergraduate Field Engineer

Frequent Asked Questions

Frequent Asked Questions

Find out what Co-op students have to say