Marine Travelift received its first engineering co-op student in a new partnership with the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay.
The seven-month co-op term for Will Stuart, a mechanical engineering student at the university’s Resch School of Engineering, began in June and runs through December, Marine Travelift said in a statement.
The co-op differs from a traditional internship because of the longer-duration, full-time paid experience, said Michelle Waldinger, director of human resources for Travelift/ExacTech.
“The engineering department has been very helpful at explaining the design process and challenges of these gantry cranes and marina forklifts, which are all engineered in-house,” Stuart said. “I feel very grateful to have the opportunity to work with the tenured engineers and designers on real-world projects that are being manufactured 20 steps from where the engineering department works.”
Matt Chike, chief engineer at Marine Travelift, said a co-op program provides an excellent experience for a student and an opportunity for employers.
“An engineering co-op position is also one of the best ways to recruit local college talent to your company, and we want Marine Travelift to become a go-to company for young engineers in the area for a great co-op experience,” Chike said. “By the end of Will’s seven months, he will have real industry engineering experience to add to his resume, and the opportunity to pursue a long-term career with the company.”
