Future ready: Rowan University introduces new co-op program with Inductotherm and Consarc for hands-on learning

During his sophomore year at Rowan University, Ray Odgers landed a summer warehouse job at Inductotherm that would change his life. 

When word leaked out that he was enrolled in Rowan’s electrical and computer engineering program, he was quickly transferred from the warehouse to the test lab, where he tested electronic boards for quality assurance. During a 10-week summer internship heading into his senior year, Odgers learned how to design power supplies for Inductotherm, the world’s leading manufacturer of induction systems used in a variety of green-energy thermal processing applications. 

Eighteen years later, he’s now associate director of electrical engineering at the company founded by Henry and Betty Rowan, the entrepreneurs whose 1992 gift led to the creation of Rowan’s engineering college.  

“For me,” Odgers said, “it worked out very well.” 

For more than 30 years, Inductotherm and its sister company, Consarc, have trained and hired Rowan engineering students through summer jobs and internships. A subsidiary of Inductotherm Group, based in Rancocas, New Jersey, Inductotherm alone counts 33 Rowan alumni among its full-time employees, including 23 who participated in its internship program. 

Now, with the development of Inductotherm Group’s new co-op program with Rowan, students will gain exciting opportunities for hands-on experience that leads to career readiness, networking, resume-building and, perhaps, a full-time job with the company. 

Launching a co-op with teeth

Through January 14, 2026, Inductotherm and Consarc are accepting applications for their first university-level co-op program in partnership with the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. From May through December of their senior year, participating students will gain paid, on-the-job engineering experience, while earning academic credits. 

The co-op program will begin with five slots: three at Inductotherm and two at Consarc. Structured by Rowan faculty to complement the senior fall semester, the program requires students to take additional courses during the semester to earn their bachelor’s degree within four years, distinguishing it from other universities’ formats. The program also requires students to earn a specialized certificate of undergraduate study in either advanced manufacturing, mechatronics, power systems engineering or cybersecurity engineering. 

“This partnership reflects both our future focus and our roots,” said Giuseppe Palmese, dean of the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. “We are proud to build on the legacy established by Henry Rowan by expanding our long-standing relationship with Inductotherm and Consarc. Together, we’re creating meaningful pathways for students to gain hands-on experience and prepare to participate and lead in the future manufacturing industry.”

Rick Hopkins, chief technical officer for Inductotherm Corp., said: “A co-op program allows students to trade theory for practice, allowing them to graduate with confidence, not just credentials.” 

Gaining worthwhile experience

For years, most interns working at Inductotherm’s Research and Development Department have come from Rowan, noted the department’s director, Adam Westerland, who graduated from Rowan’s electrical and computer engineering program in 2014. That relationship formed the foundation for the new co-op arrangement—one meant to foster innovation and develop the industry’s future workforce. 

Especially in research and development, Westerland said, “we’re definitely looking for lifetime learners. We want someone who can apply the skills they learn from university to their work here.”

That’s because engineers design systems to suit the individual needs of each customer, Odgers explained. “We’re always challenged with designing new things,” Odgers added. “We’re constantly developing new products.”

Through the decades, Inductotherm has cultivated mentors among its employees, Westerland said—people who provide students with worthwhile projects that can potentially lead to full-time positions. Recent graduates who interned with Inductotherm said they appreciated the experience they gained.  

Luke Wilkins landed a summer internship with the company after graduating from Rowan with a degree in electrical and computer engineering in May 2025. It was his first professional work experience. As an intern, he said, “I was able to spend a lot more time learning … and I was learning alongside the other interns.”   

The internship also allowed Wilkins to test out the company’s culture. After finding he was a good fit, Wilkins accepted an offer to join full-time as an electrical engineering associate. 

The co-op program is designed to pay dividends for the company, too, which needs creative, confident engineers who aren’t afraid to go out in the field or into the shop, noted Keith Harrell, mechanical engineering manager for Consarc. 

“To me, it’s a huge benefit when you can spend more time developing that person because hopefully the guidance you gave them will allow them to become a participating member of the company,” said Harrell, who graduated from Rowan with a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in engineering management. “We’re a team here. We need to work together in order to get things done effectively.”  

A Rowan mindset

The work ethic and fearless mindset that threads its way through the founder’s company has also affected Rowan’s students. 

Harrison VanDewater is pursuing his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He earned his undergraduate degree at Rowan with support from a scholarship program established for the children of Inductotherm employees. His father has worked for the company for 30 years. 

Interested in robotics and manufacturing, VanDewater reports to Inductotherm 16 hours a week and attends classes at Rowan three days a week. Inspired by the quotes from Henry Rowan that line the walls at work and at school, VanDewater said he’s adopted a similar philosophy: If you’re going to do something, do it right. 

Asked about the entrepreneur’s influence on his life, VanDewater found it difficult to sum up in words. 

“It’s hard to separate what his impact has been, because it’s so broad,” VanDewater said. “It’s been my work and it’s been my school for at least four years directly. I owe a lot to that.”