The main problem with getting the type of experience you are suggesting in mechanical engineering is that it would be very expensive to do, and there is just to

The main problem with getting the type of experience you are suggesting in mechanical engineering is that it would be very expensive to do, and there is just too broad of a range of topics to cover practically. My school definitely focused on practical skill more than yours, with 4 design projects (one was a paper only project) over the course of our degree. We also had a course that was just mechanical engineering labs which covered topics like fluids and heat transfer. Even in courses like Machine Design, the focus was somewhat on design, with all the assignments being miniature design projects where you had to specify real components and justify your choices to the instructor and class. Still students graduated with essentially no practical engineering skills. You have to take it upon yourself to get the practical experience in your area of interest, be it through co-op jobs and/or student teams. If you don't, the job market is not interested in you. I think there is going to be some changes coming to traditional engineering education relatively soon. My local professional association seems to be pushing to make the schooling more practical, though nothing major has come of it, just a couple of smaller course changes.