Hiring

Hiring Students and Graduates

Indiana-based employers have long understood that employing and training college students now results in a productive and engaged workforce later. Purdue offers several options to bring students onboard your company — through Co-Op programs, internships, and regular part-time/full-time jobs in student-friendly locations. And don’t forget the soon-to-be and recent Purdue grads as you contemplate your upcoming human resources needs.

Hiring Interns

For-profit companies that are technology-based or utilize technology to manufacture or service their industry may be eligible to hire students through the Interns for Indiana program. The program matches high-quality student interns with growing Indiana-based tech companies who have internship opportunities in a variety of fields including R&D, business development, marketing and software development. Paid through scholarship funding, students are expected to complete 125-150 hours per semester. Once begun, an intern-company match is encouraged to continue for up to one year if there is company need. If the company and student wish to continue in the aftermath of the one-year of funded work, they may request a continuation. Of the almost 200 companies that have participated in the program thus far, 93% report growth.

Interns can also be hired through the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities (CCO) (see below)

Partnering through a Co-Op Program

Purdue’s Office of Professional Practice programs (Purdue Co-Ops) brings the worlds of education and work together through alternating periods of full-time work and full-time study. On the job, the Professional Practice employee contributes a fair day's work for a fair day's pay while gaining the experience necessary for understanding the importance of education. In the classroom, the Professional Practice student studies state-of-the-art theory and learns how that theory can be applied on the job. The merging of study and work produces a top quality education for the top quality person. To the employer, Professional Practice education offers a resource of the best of today's graduates. Employers interested in establishing a Co-Op with Purdue must be qualified.

See: More students than ever participating in Purdue professional practice programs

Hiring interns, students and graduates

Recruiting qualified Purdue students in a competitive job market means developing a relationship with the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities (CCO). Many top companies partner with Purdue as a “21st Century Partner” to gain greater visibility with students. CCO provides an online way for prospective employers to post internships and jobs, request resumes, and set up on-campus interview dates. CCO also hosts additional recruitment events including employer-information sessions and career fairs. Employers post their internships and full-time opportunities through NACElink, and their part time jobs through an online job board.

Locating your business to attract student workers

Purdue Research Park located in West Lafayette offers companies the advantage of near-campus Student Fulfillment Centers. This labor set-up allows emerging and second-stage technology-based companies to produce a high-quality work product while relying primarily on a student labor force. The center operates as an ongoing department or division of a larger corporation based elsewhere. Purdue University student-workers are considered regular or part time employees as opposed to interns or Co-Op students. Hired through a temp agency to decrease the administrative burden to the company, students generally work a flex schedule of 12 to 30 hours per week with pay ranging from $15 to $20 per hour.