Category: Jobs, Co-ops, Internships

From Co-op to Career: Michigan Tech Chemical Engineering Alum Shares His Story

Students and employers mill around by booths and in aisles as hundreds attend Michigan Tech’s Fall Career Fair in the multipurpose room of the SDC in 2024.
Michigan Tech’s fall Career Fair is the first of two offered to all students each academic year to make connections for co-ops, internships, and full-time jobs.

As Huskies gear up for Michigan Technological University’s Fall Career Fair on Tuesday, Sept. 23, they’re looking for on-point advice to land co-ops, internships, and full-time jobs. 

Cody Woodbury ’20 has got them covered. Woodbury is a process engineer at Koppers, a global leader in the development of progressive wood treatment technologies. He’s one of the many Michigan Tech students who did a co-op with the company and went on to be hired full-time. 

In this Q&A,  the chemical engineering grad shares practical advice for students on topics like why it’s important to ask prospective employers questions, how to understand what success looks like during a co-op, and how to make the most of your time at Tech.

Taking Tech Farther North: GMES Alum Caleb Kaminski on His Journey to Alaska

Caleb Kaminski in a parka with a knit hat and sunglasses outside in the snow.
Caleb Kaminski, geological engineering alumni, outside Utqiagvik, Alaska during an Arctic research expedition.

It all started with a geology course. After graduating high school, Michigan Tech alumnus Caleb Kaminski wasn’t sure what to study, but he knew it would be STEM-related. While working towards his associate’s degree at West Shore Community College, Kaminski tried it all, from aquacultural science to computer science to physics. “But everything clicked when I stumbled upon an introductory geology course,” says Kaminski. “I was hooked instantly!”

Even then, Kaminski knew he wanted his academic career to include more than just geology. “When I discovered Michigan Tech offered a degree in geological engineering, I was sure I found the right path to embark on. It combined my newfound love for geology with the challenging engineering component I was eager to be challenged by. And just like that, I found my perfect academic match!”