The city of Ames offers different internship and co-op programs for Iowa State students to get an up-front look at various fields before heading into the job market.

Many employers like to see internships or co-ops on graduates’ r‚sum‚s that helped them to gain experience. And although some departments require internships to graduate, many stress the importance of them regardless of whether they’re required.

Jerry Byg, a municipal engineer for the city of Ames, said the Public Works Department has been hiring student co-ops for the last 15 to 20 years. He said the department hires mostly engineering students for the program, and they look for students with a good work ethic.

“We mostly look at the individual’s willingness to work,” he said.

The program at Public Works lasts about six months and is a full-time, paid co-op, Byg said.

“Our co-op program gives students a taste of typical civil and municipal engineering work before going out and hitting the job market,” he said.

Byg said hiring student co-ops not only gives students experience but also helps department workers learn.

“We do our job and explain it to the co-ops, and in return we get better and better at our own job,” he said.

Melanie Wyatt, senior in advertising, has been working as a part-time, paid intern with the city under Clare Bills, Ames public relations officer.

Wyatt said her internship has given her valuable hands-on experience in the field of advertising.

“I really wanted to find something that would allow me to get pieces for my portfolio,” she said.

Wyatt produces a monthly eight-page newsletter that goes mostly to city employees. Bills is flexible about letting Wyatt use her own thoughts and ideas in her work, she said.

Working with the city has allowed Wyatt to take classes and complete her internship simultaneously.

For more information on the co-op and internship programs with the city, contact the human resources department, located on the first floor of City Hall at 515 Clark Ave., at 239-5199.