Are required courses meeting industry demands?

In electrical engineering, the undergraduate curriculum is well defined but the course layout can cause students to lack the skills industry expects of interns and new full time employees. With their specific expectations, industry influences the choices that students make concerning internships, co-ops or even entering the workforce before finishing school. Does the university course layout enhance skills and knowledge or hinder students' preparation for industry? Most engineering programs recommend an internship to gain the soft skills needed to 'make it out there'. Most internships or co-ops in the United States are with individual companies. Students work on projects that maintain and develop products. While at the companies, students learn what to expect from that industry and tend to re-evaluate their engineering program on its design and information procedures. Some students then expect more from their university or leave for proffered jobs before getting their degrees. Still others do not have either opportunity. The author describes some of the experiences of internship students.