<p>I will be a sophmore mechanical engineering student next semester and will be interning next summer (2010). Im just wondering what its like getting your first job/internship. Bascially how were the responsibilities, stress, and enjoyment? </p>
<p>Does it really matter where you intern? My dad works for the oil business and could get me an internship where he works. But, I am about 80% sure that I won't be doing his line of work when I get out of college.</p>
<p>Any bit of input will be appreciated. Thanks.</p>
<p>Generally you will probably get all the busy work that the engineers don’t want to waste their time on. Personally, I just try to remember that I’m getting paid and someone has to do it…They’ll include you on things that would be interesting though.</p>
<p>And you might want to just take the oil internship…they probably offer the best pay for interns. I nearly doubled my pay after jumping from a utility to a major integrated oil company.</p>
<p>I actually really enjoyed my internship. It was at AREVA T&D, which specializes in manufacturing medium-voltage and high-voltage equipment. I was working in the Disconnect Switches department.</p>
<p>Anyway, my job was essentially one of a “Technical Sales Representative”. I was responsible of making quotations for clients who wanted some equipment for their projects. When one of my co-workers went on a sick break, I took over his projects and managed them while he was gone (contacting the client to ensure he knows how the project is progressing, ordering needed parts, making sure the drawers are keeping up with the project, planning the delivery of the equipment, etc.).</p>
<p>I guess the part I liked the most was being part of a team (there were about 6 or 7 people doing the same thing as me, including engineers that had already graduated). I never felt like I was simply doing a job the others didn’t want to, so that was definitely great. I guess the best thing you can hope for in having an internship is actually having responsibilities.</p>
<p>Like what? I guess I am a little concerned about how “tough” it might be. My dad told me they made thier old intern run out and get them coffee and donuts when they couldnt find something for him to do. lol…</p>
<p>I never had to do anything like running out for coffee or donuts…I just had to do more of the stuff like grunt work on the computer…but hey, stuff needs to get done. But the engineers made sure to explain anything to me or include me in stuff that was interesting, etc.</p>
<p>At my current co-op, it kind of works the same way. I get a lot of the stuff that my mentor is too busy to handle…a lot of digging through archived documents on computer or in the fileroom, writing up policies, etc. But I get included on anything interesting in the field that would help me learn. And for about the next month I’m pretty much just shadowing the engineers and electricians in the plant during turnaround (partial shutdowns of the refinery) as they take stuff apart and inspect, do preventative maintenance, get ready to hook up any new equipment, etc. Kinda cool, much better way to get a grip of things.</p>