Our student this week is Chelsea Wilhoit, materials science engineering major who accepted a co-op at Logan Aluminum, located in Russellville, Kentucky. Wilhoit described the department she worked in and what her main responsibilities were.
“I worked mainly in the technical unit within the Product Metallurgy and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory,” she said. “The Product Metallurgy department deals mainly with customer service. If one of our customers is dissatisfied with the quality of our metal, this department analyzes and decided which area/lab the product needs to be sent to for further testing. In addition, I was given the opportunity to assist in the routine testing of the oils and coolants that cycle through the mills. During this internship, I was given exposure to many different analytical chemistry machines. It was very fascinating to observe and learn about all the additives and concentrations necessary to make an aluminum mill operate efficiently.”
The most valuable benefit Chelsea received during her co-op assignment was gaining experience in a new workplace environment.
“Regardless of the number of coops/internships you have, I think the biggest take away from each experience is discovering how different each individual company is,” she said. “From the way they operate, to their company culture, all companies are different and it’s refreshing to know that somewhere out there is a company that will coincide with your own ideals. The business knowledge gathered from the environment is great and the equipment experiences doesn’t hurt your resume, but the crucial point I took away from this summer is the importance of finding a job that you love. The people that I was able to work with really have a passion for their job and their city, its exciting witnessing this spark in their eyes.”