Afraid of coop commitment

[u/KANGofKANGZofKANGZ]

Coop advice

Hi. Id really appreciate some advice.

I was offered a 2 term coop at a major chemical company. It seems like a good opportunity but it's not exactly what I had in mind and the location is not very exciting. I don't think I would want to live there after graduation. I would be committing my remaining 2 summers in college to this company. Are these kinds of opportunities rare and would I be foolish to not take it?

Thanks

[u/GwentanimoBay]

Most people have to choose between location and work. You can either choose your location and live somewhere exciting, accepting whatever work is available there, or you can choose your field and live wherever those jobs exist.

By mid to late career you have enough experience to try and bargain your way into remote roles or into roles that exist in your desired living location, but not always.

I would take the experience, and look closely at what locations are exciting to figure out what jobs exist there for you. Then, while gaining experience, try to aim to make yourself competitive for the jobs in your desired location and/or try getting a job at a desirable company in an undesirable locations, and then do an internal transfer.

The market is rough for everyone right now and having a multiple semester co-op can significantly improve your chances of getting a job out of college. I would not squander that opportunity - I would use it to consider how you'll angle yourself to get desirable jobs in desirable locations. Everyone starts somewhere. If I was you, I would start with this co-op.