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SFU Co-op vs UBC Co-op
Hi there.
I am currently in Grade 12. I am right now currently researching my options for post-secondary. I am looking both at SFU Burnaby and SFU Surrey. What I am particularly interested in is the Mechatronics Engineering program at SFU Surrey. At the same time, UBC also offers a similar Mechtronics engineering program.
I am wondering, can any SFU Surrey Mechatronics students or anybody else in general help me out? I am wondering about the co-op: what are the pros and cons of SFU Surrey's and UBC's co-op? I keep hearing UBC students' perspectives on this, but I would also like to hear the perspective from SFU students.
Thanks!
I am currently in Grade 12. I am right now currently researching my options for post-secondary. I am looking both at SFU Burnaby and SFU Surrey. What I am particularly interested in is the Mechatronics Engineering program at SFU Surrey. At the same time, UBC also offers a similar Mechtronics engineering program.
I am wondering, can any SFU Surrey Mechatronics students or anybody else in general help me out? I am wondering about the co-op: what are the pros and cons of SFU Surrey's and UBC's co-op? I keep hearing UBC students' perspectives on this, but I would also like to hear the perspective from SFU students.
Thanks!
Comments
i looked at sfu's job posting site and searched for keyword "engineer" and got 9 results. at a presentation for first year engineers the coop people said "we've currently got over 140 postings" but they neglected to mention that at the time, there were only 7 postings relevant to engineering students. 7 postings divied among 250 engineers... sure more jobs will trickle in. sure some companies will take multiple students. but the real truth at sfu is that you will most likely have to find your own coop job. i am actually very disappointed with the coop workers. they need to advertise sfu's coop program to more employers. i will probably have to find my own coop job, along with 200 or so students in my faculty.
it is possible though, that it is just too early and job postings usually come in later
anyhow, here is a screenshot
http://img97.imageshack.us/i/63647582.png/
sfu engineering is also very tech-heavy.in first year you will have to do cmpt 128, which is c++ programming. i am getting a good mark but personally i have no idea why anyone in the department except a future computer engineer would find this course useful. as you progress further, the courses do become more relevant though.
the core course, ensc 100 is a great course. the professor is Dr. John Jones. to me, his course is extremely interesting.
ask if you have any more questions
1. It's the end of the semester. Most employers that look for co-op students for next term have already filled their positions. If you checked the postings back in October and November, you would find hundreds of jobs.
2. The jobs that are posted there get filled very quickly. It's not uncommon to see a job get posted and taken down within 2 weeks. Often companies will post a job with an application deadline of less than 7 days. Students seeking a co-op have to check the site constantly because it changes so often.
3. It's past the deadline for regular applications. Right now, the co-op people are probably running the "lightning round" where they just send everyone's resume to any company that fits. Employers probably aren't posting jobs on the site because they're already getting students' resumes.
SFU has *tons* of co-op jobs.
I think the "good" summer co-ops start getting posted in early January.
If you need advice about companies, try talking to other ENSC students. I've found other students have better opinions than the co-op people because they've actually done co-ops there - this is from a CMPT perspective though.
Interesting. Could you elaborate on that flo-ra? I heard many great things about how impressive UBC's co-op program is, but I also wish to hear more from you. Your info is very helpful, by the way.
As well, does anybody know the primary differences between UBC's co-op program and SFU's co-op program? I am not really picky if the information you guys knows is engineering faculty specific, chances are the two schools have similar co-op throughout the different internal faculties.
If you're not actively seeking co-op (i.e., released by ENSC co-op), most of the ENSC co-op postings won't be visible. Secondly, yes, it's the end of the term, so most jobs will be gone--most hiring occurs in the second month of the term. If the number of jobs you're quoting is true (it's not), SFU would have a huge problem on their hands since co-op is mandatory to graduate.
I've been very happy with ENSC co-op. I did work terms at Research In Motion, and RIM and SFU seem to have a very close relationship (the number of SFU students at my office easily outnumbered the UBC ones--in fact the only university that outnumbered us was Waterloo, for obvious reasons). There's tonnes of opportunities for electronics and computer engineers. Typical companies that hire SFU co-ops are RIM, Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent, Telus, BC Transmission Corporation (Hydro stuff), PMC Sierra, Sierra Wireless, Broadcom, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, and a myriad of smaller companies that offer more niche positions (a few biomedical engineering companies). You also have access to all the CMPT co-op postings. I don't have any competent friends who have failed to find placements.
I've had some friends complain about UBC co-op. Main complaints are: (1) you have to apply to their co-op program, and you pay fees even if you don't end up landing a placement, and (2) while UBC does offer a lot of co-op jobs, their focus is more towards power/civil/mechanical engineering, so if you're an electronics/computer engineering student, there's comparably fewer opportunities for you.