Students with mathematics degrees are already setting themselves apart in the job market, but there are even more opportunities for a math student to become a desirable employee before even graduating.

For those who are interested in a mathematical career solving problems in industry, take advantage of these opportunities to build your resume while you are an undergraduate:

PIC Math:
The Preparation for Industrial Careers in Mathematical Sciences (PIC Math) program, supported by the MAA, gives student groups real research problems to solve for industry clients. Not only do the students who participate come away with a real project solution and skillset to show future employers, but the groups also present their results at a summer conference like MAA MathFest. This is yet another opportunity to showcase your analytical skills, network with peers, and connect with potential employers.

Past projects included researching how weather patterns affect shipments, predicting the growth of solar energy across a state, and predicting health care insurance types from demographic data.

Find out more information about PIC Math on the MAA website.

Internships
One way to get industry experience is to get hired--as an intern! Get hands-on experience as a financial analyst, software developer, programmer, or any number of opportunities via the jobs feed on the MAA Career Resource Center.  

Besides having real-world work experience to put on your resume, the benefit of an internship is the potential to make some money for your research and work. Search the job openings now.

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
REU programs pair students with host institutions to work on a specific research project with faculty or other researchers. Some students like to use their summer breaks to dive into an REU project, and sometimes there is an opportunity to continue your research on the subject even after the REU is completed.

Although most REUs are completed at an academic institution, having a completed research project on your resume will be attractive to employers. A list of REUs for the mathematical sciences can be found on the National Science Foundation website.