MECOP, Inc.

What MECOP, Inc. does

MECOP, Inc. is a 501-style non-profit cooperative education organization, founded in 1978 and headquartered in Albany, Oregon, that runs a structured paid-internship program connecting engineering and business students at four Oregon universities — Oregon State University, Oregon Tech, Portland State University, and the University of Portland — with more than 120 industry member companies operating primarily in Oregon. Its core product is a two-internship rotation program: students are admitted at the end of their sophomore year via a two-hurdle process (academic screening by university faculty and competitive panel interviews with industry representatives), then complete two six-month paid internships at different member companies, which the organization argues minimizes degree-extension while producing work-ready graduates. The supporting MECOP Connect platform extends the relationship beyond graduation through alumni networking, mentorship, resume posting, and employment opportunities for thousands of program graduates.

The business model is a consortium model in which industry member companies pay recurring membership fees to access a curated, pre-screened talent pipeline for a six-month preview period with no obligation to hire, and universities participate to align curriculum with industry needs. Member companies span semiconductor (Intel, Siltronic, Lam Research, FormFactor), aerospace (Boeing, Collins Aerospace, Garmin AT), automotive (Daimler Trucks), utilities (Portland General Electric), government (City of Portland, Clark County), life sciences (Thermo Fisher), and engineering consulting (Jacobs, Stantec, David Evans and Associates). The organization is governed by a board drawn from member-company committees and operates with a small staff of 12.

Quantitative outcomes cited include more than 90% of graduates remaining in Oregon, 70% taking roles at MECOP member companies, 1,225+ Intel internships with over 1,000 Intel alumni, 994 Daimler internships, 893 Boeing internships, 322 Garmin AT internships, and 311 Tektronix internships. Underlying technology is described as a web-based system for student applications, internship placements, and program administration rather than a differentiated technology platform, and the company does not disclose pricing, revenue, or financial details publicly.

Name

MECOP, Inc.

Legal name

MECOP, Inc.

Website

https://mecopinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MECOP, Inc. is an Oregon-based non-profit cooperative education organization founded in 1978 that coordinates paid engineering and business internships for students at four Oregon universities through a consortium of 120+ industry member companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cooperative Education / Internship Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Cooperative education program
• Engineering internship program
• Industry university partnership
• Paid internship placement
• Workforce talent pipeline

Headquarters

HQ city

Oregon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Industry Membership Fees: Companies pay membership fees to participate in MECOP's internship program, gaining access to a pool of pre-screened engineering and business students for six-month internship periods without obligation to hire.
2. University Membership: Universities participate in the program to enhance curriculum alignment with industry needs and provide students with real-world internship experience.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MECOP, Inc. is a non-profit cooperative education organization that recruits and screens engineering and business students from four Oregon partner universities and matches them with over 120 industry member companies for two six-month paid internships. The program selects students after sophomore year through academic screening and competitive panel interviews, then places them at different member companies to bridge academic theory with industrial practice.

Product overview

MECOP, Inc. operates as a cooperative education internship coordinator connecting university students with industry partners. The core offering is the MECOP Internship Program, which provides two six-month paid work experiences designed to bridge academic theory with industrial reality. Supporting the program is MECOP Connect, an alumni engagement platform providing networking opportunities, mentorship programs, and career resources for program graduates and industry mentors. The program partners with four Oregon universities (Oregon State University, Oregon Tech, Portland State University, and University of Portland) and over 120 industry member companies across manufacturing, electronics, construction, and civil infrastructure sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MECOP Internship Program A cooperative education program that coordinates two six-month paid internships for engineering and business students from four Oregon partner universities, matching them with over 120 industry member companies across manufacturing, electronics, construction, and civil infrastructure sectors.
• MECOP Connect An alumni and networking platform for MECOP graduates, mentors, and industry supporters, providing perpetual events, mentorship programs, resume posting, employment opportunities, and newsletters. Free membership available for qualified alumni, industry, and university representatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 90 percent of MECOP graduates go to work for companies in Oregon; 70 percent with MECOP member companies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner since the program's founding in 1978. OSU was the original collaboration partner when MECOP began with Oregon-based manufacturing companies. Multiple engineering and business disciplines participate.
• Oregon TechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering engineering disciplines including Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Management, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Surveying.
• Portland State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering engineering and business disciplines including Business Analytics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Surveying.
• University of PortlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner offering engineering disciplines including Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
• Intel CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1981. Major employer of MECOP graduates with over 1,000 alumni. Typically recruits up to 50 interns annually across multiple engineering and business disciplines.
• Boeing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor aerospace industry member hosting 893 MECOP internships. Provides engineering internship opportunities across multiple disciplines.
• TektronixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1977, one of the longest-standing partners. Hosted 311 internships. Provides real-world engineering and business challenges for interns.
• Collins AerospacemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace industry member participating in the MECOP program hosting engineering interns.
• PCC StructuralsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerManufacturing member hosting MECOP interns in engineering disciplines.
• Thermo Fisher ScientificmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 2001. Hosted 59 internships. Acquired FEI Company and operates Materials and Structural Analysis division in Hillsboro, Oregon.
• Garmin ATmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1991. Hosted 322 internships. Subsidiary of Garmin located at Salem Airport, designing and manufacturing avionics equipment.
• Oregon Tool, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1979. Hosted 180 internships. Global manufacturer of precision cutting tools headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
• Warn IndustriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1992. Hosted 144 internships. World's most recognized brand in off-road products, manufacturing winches and accessories.
• Siltronic CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSemiconductor wafer manufacturer participating in MECOP program.
• JacobsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal engineering firm with Portland and Corvallis offices. Hosted 161 internships across various engineering disciplines.
• Consolidated MetcomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1995. Hosted 184 internships. Manufacturer of aluminum and cast iron components for heavy-duty transportation industry.
• Daimler Trucks North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted 994 internships. Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer producing Freightliner, Western Star, and Thomas Built Bus brands.
• Lam ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted 146 internships. Semiconductor equipment manufacturer and fundamental enabler of the fourth industrial revolution.
• HP, Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember since 1993. Hosted 111 internships. Global technology leader offering internships across engineering and science disciplines.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA): CEIA is the professional association supporting co-op and internship programs across universities and employers. Adjacent to MECOP as an industry body governing the same co-op/internship ecosystem and sharing institutional membership overlap.

Direct peers

• Purdue University Cooperative Education Program: Purdue operates a long-standing co-op and internship program placing engineering and business students at major industrial employers. Comparable to MECOP in targeting large industrial employers (aerospace, manufacturing) and providing structured multi-rotation industry experience.
• Drexel University Steinbright Career Development Center: Drexel runs one of the largest and oldest mandatory co-op programs in the U.S., alternating six-month periods of academic study and full-time industry work. Most comparable to MECOP in its co-op structure, multi-discipline engineering coverage, and university-industry partnership model.
• Northeastern University Cooperative Education: Northeastern's co-op program embeds students in multi-year industry placements across engineering, business, and computer science. It mirrors MECOP's six-month paid internship structure, employer-driven curriculum input, and emphasis on work-ready graduate outcomes.
• Georgia Tech Cooperative Education and Internship Program: Georgia Tech's co-op and internship programs place engineering and computing students into multi-semester industry roles with major employers. Comparable to MECOP in scale, engineering discipline coverage, and employer roster quality.
• University of Cincinnati Cooperative Education: The University of Cincinnati pioneered the U.S. co-op model in 1906 and runs one of the largest co-op programs in the country. Directly comparable to MECOP in offering multi-rotation paid co-ops across engineering and business disciplines.

Emerging players

• Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development non-profit combining classroom training with corporate internships for young adults. Comparable to MECOP as a non-profit, employer-funded talent pipeline program, though focused on a different demographic and shorter-duration model.
• Apprenti: Apprenti runs registered apprenticeship programs placing talent into tech and industrial roles via employer partnerships. Shares MECOP's employer-funded, non-profit, talent-pipeline model but uses a longer-duration apprenticeship framework.

Broad incumbents

• Handshake: Handshake is the dominant digital college recruiting platform connecting students, universities, and employers for internships and entry-level roles. Adjacent to MECOP as a competing channel for college-student internship placement, though operating as a broad tech platform rather than a regional consortium.

Regional players

• University of Waterloo Co-operative Education: Waterloo operates the largest university co-op program in Canada, placing students in multi-work-term industry roles across engineering and computer science. Structurally analogous to MECOP though serving a Canadian/Ontario industrial ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=762C4WoWqww
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mecop-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MECOP, Inc.