Joseph Schindler, a mechanical engineering major, from Del Rio, Tennessee, worked as a co-op student at Altec Industries in Burnsville, North Carolina. He worked specifically in the quality department. His day-to-day responsibilities were to perform inspections of parts when they were received and performed audits of associate’s gauges to ensure they are working correctly.
Schindler’s favorite project was to create a new system for testing one particular product that came in and is now creating a new standard because of it. He also helped to update standard operating procedures. He was given the opportunity to learn more about CAD (Solidworks) and welding projects with a blow torch and plasma torch.
Schindler’s monthly responsibility was to give a monthly report about gauges during the quality meeting in front of all the managers, many of the supervisors and some engineers. This was a difficulty to him as he does not like to speak publically in front of large groups, but this gave him the opportunity to come out of his comfort zone and to learn how to be prepared efficiently for larger meetings. The most valuable part he took away from his rotation was the actual opportunity to work in the field before he graduates to get a feel on how the workforce works.