Excelitas Technologies

Electrical Engineering Intern

May - August 2024 • Miamisburg, OH

What I liked

I liked the relevance of my existing knowledge and skills in the work that I was given. Knowledge of schematics and circuitry was definitely essential to success in my internship, and I was really challenged during my time here. I also gained lots of essential skills such as soldering and some programming in languages that I had never programmed in before. Everyone is extremely friendly and kind, and open to share their experiences and knowledge of the company and of its products. They also make sure to acknowledge the hard work that everyone contributes.

What I wish was different

I wish the schedule was more flexible. The only option available was Monday-Thursday 7am-5:30pm which wasn't bad, but I would've liked being able to work on Fridays or being able to come in a little later in the morning. I think the 4-10 schedule is great for those commuting from afar, but me personally I started to feel drained after working this schedule for a while. From an objective standpoint, this schedule is fantastic because everyone else is on this schedule as well. Other than that, I don't have anything else that I wish had been different.

Advice

I have a couple pieces of advice. Study the abbreviations that they use, which most of them are listed on a shared document. Do some research on the projects or programs you're assigned to understand the larger scope before diving into the details. Take good notes and refer to them as you go about completing your tasks. When I started, it was a little overwhelming with the amount of knowledge I had to get familiar with, but it just takes some time. My notes and actively asking my mentors questions really helped to get me past this hurdle.

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Manufacturing Engineering Intern

January - August 2024 • Miamisburg, OH

What I liked

The company provided numerous opportunities to apply engineering problem solving skills to solve problems. For some of these opportunities, the responsible engineer had an idea of what they wanted to do and just needed it designed, but many others were open where I could look for and create my own solution. There was a supportive and collaborative environment that encouraged me to seek out help and feedback on the projects I was working on, while also allowing me to own my projects. Safety and quality were valued as the most important aspect in the workplace, which made me confident to ask about concerns that I had.

What I wish was different

The particular site that I was working at had a confusing layout, I wished that there was a map or something that would help me find where I needed to go. In addition to this, there were several times that I needed tools to do a certain task, but either there wasn't one available or I didn't know where it was. It would have been helpful if there was a workshop or place to work on projects that had a selection of common tools available.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions. There is often a lot of information surrounding whatever you are working on, and you often won't be aware of all of it. Sometimes, even the engineer responsible for whatever you are working on also won't know, and asking can bring it to their attention. Communication is essential to effective collaboration.

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

June - August 2018 • Salem, MA

What I liked

I Improved upon my CAD and numerical modeling skills, and I was able to be exposed to new technologies, which I helped build.

What I wish was different

I wish I had the opportunity to work more with other people in teams. A lot of my work was done alone at my desk.

Advice

If your internship or job requires you to spend a lot of time in a cubicle, take it upon yourself to talk to people outside of your department or field in the building. I made a lot of connections talking with people outside my field of work, and gained valuable advice for my accomplishing my short term goals at the job and long term goals in my extended career. Make time to meet new people.

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