Empolyment Marketability

I would check with the universities you are considering and find out what their placement rate is and with what companies. They should also have information related to what these companies are looking for when hiring. Personally, I think both the college brand and the internship are important factors. A company will look at many factors when Hiring the right employee.

Tristian:

Yours is an interesting question and in my opinion both the prestige of your college and your degree of active participation in your Field are important. Attending a well-recognized engineering college will help get your resume noticed by prospective employers. Good grades are important but perhaps more important is your active participation in career-related opportunities. Such opportunities could include:
n internship with an engineering firm or public works department;
work with a volunteer organization in your Field (such as Engineers without Borders);
a leadership position in a student engineering organization (such as ASCE);
a Senior Capstone Project.

When I've interviewed prospective new employees, especially those fresh out of College, I look for such activities on a resume. They provide a natural place for you to demonstrate your capabilities in an interview situation.

Peter Sturtevant, PE

Hi Tristan!

You asked a very important question.

What will have the greatest impact on your ability to get a job is you participation in career exposure programs such as coop, intern, shadowing, and volunteer. These programs will allow you to see the inside of the career area and very importantly allow you to get to know people in the profession so that you can see what they do, how they got there, and how you feel about that. Also, these programs enable you to get to know people who can assist you in attaining your goals.

Best of luck!