- College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
- Departments
- Mechanical Engineering
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at RVC
- Internships
Internships for NIU Engineering@RVC

A unique program that is community-based and industry integrated.
Consider an Internship
An internship in your industry offers many short- and long-term benefits. You’ll:
- Refine your résumé and gain job interview experience
- Apply classroom knowledge in a real-world environment right in your community
- Confirm whether you’re
the field that’s right for youin - Gain valuable work experience to prepare for your career
Corporate Partners
These industry partners:
- Are eager to welcome you as an intern and as a potential full-time employee
- Meet with us regularly to ensure our curriculum is relevant
Benefits
As an NIU@RVC student, you’ll benefit from:
- Real-world, hands-on work experience
- Multiple internship opportunities with local industries
- Hundreds of NIU Engineering alumni in the northern Illinois region who are eager to serve as mentors
Hands-on Experience
NIU@RVC interns have worked
- Shop Floor
- Competitive Intelligence (CI) Team
- Pump Engineering
- Quality Engineering
- Fuel Systems Engineering
Did you know? According to the periodical Machine Design:
- The current conversion rate from intern to full-time employee is 51.7 percent.
- Almost 80 percent of employers view internships as a way to find full-time hires.
Hear from Woodward Intern Bradley Robison, NIU @ RVC B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Class of 2018
What sort of work have you done as part of your internship?
A: I have gotten to work on a lot of cool projects and parts in my time at Woodward. On the shop
What have you been learning from the internship and how is it preparing you for an engineering career?
I have learned a lot from my internship. Some of the key things I have learned are:
- Communication is key and never be shy. Almost daily you have to communicate with your team to get work done. I used to be shy and would get nervous going up to someone I didn't know to ask them a question. Because of my internship, I have had to go talk to people I do not know and it got me out of my comfort zone and made me a much better communicator.
- There is no such thing as a stupid question. If I don't know something or understand something, it is much better to ask than to guess
because at the end ofday , the product I am working with will make its way onto the wing of an airplane.
What do you think a student considering this program needs to know?
A student entering this program needs to understand that the program is designed to have you work while going to school. Things will get tough. It will be hard. But the knowledge you gain, not only from your classes but from on the job experience, cannot be beaten. Getting on-the-job experience will put you further ahead than someone who has no experience and just a degree. So embrace the challenges and the hardship because it will pay off.
Contact Us
Prospective or Current RVC Students
Aida Martinez
RVC Admissions
815-921-4249
A.Martinez@rockvalleycollege.edu
Attending Another Community College or Seeking Bachelor’s Degree Information
Andrew Kopecky
NIU Student Services
815-753-8788
akopecky@niu.edu
Questions About NIU Classes to Complete Degree at RVC
Ghazi Malkawi
NIU Engineering @ RVC
815-921-1621
gmalkawi@niu.edu