The temperature is inching ever warmer, and spring is near, which can only mean one thing for the Tickle College of Engineering: The Engineering Expo is just around the corner.

The expo, an event held once every spring and fall semester, is the preeminent event for the college’s Office of Engineering Professional Practice, which helps students match with paid, educationally relevant co-op and internship opportunities.

“The Engineering Expo is far and away the biggest event that we host, one that is incredibly important to our office,” said office Director Todd Reeves. “We are once again pleased to be holding an in-person event, but we’ve added something new this year, a third, virtual-only day for companies whose policies still prohibit participating in large events due to Covid.”

As has been traditionally the case, the first day involves students visiting booths from sponsors that pique their educational or personal interest. The second day is interview day, where students and sponsors that made connections on the first day have a 30-minute interview to see if a connection can be made that leads to an offer.

This year, the first day is held in the second-floor Student Union Ballroom on March 1st from 1:30–5 p.m., with interview day taking place on March 2nd from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.in rooms 262 and 362 of the Student Union.

The new, virtual expo will be on March 3rd via ProConnect software, with meetings coming in 10-minute blocks between 3–6 p.m.

As in past years, every engineering discipline is represented many times over by the needs and wants of the attending companies, which include Altec, Arconic, American Accessories, BMW, Brasfield & Gorrie, Bridgestone, CGI, DENSO, Electrolux, Emerson, Garmin, Jewelry Television, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Kimberly-Clark, Malibu Boats, Olin, PepsiCo, Pilot Company, Siemens, Southern Company, TVA, Texas Instruments, Trimble, and UCOR.

Across all majors, students earn an average of $3,200 per month during their experiences. Students taking part in internship and co-op experiences during the school year usually rotate from school to work semesters with their host company, while some take their experiences during the summer.

The Office of Engineering Professional Practice was founded in 1926 to help engineering students add experience to their education and prepare for the transition from student to employee. The office maintains relationships with more than 1,000 businesses and interacts with more than 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students each year, helping them achieve more than 700 annual placements with participating companies.