- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Company: Dow Chemical/Exxon Mobil
- Graduation Year: May 2022
- E-mail: ssanche7@vols.utk.edu
Profile
Hendersonville, TN
I have had work assignments with three different companies. The company I have spent most of my time with has been Dow. Dow is a company that makes different chemical products and different plastic resins for a vast variety of applications. I have done three different alternating co-op rotations with Dow. My first rotation was in Midland, MI where I was working as a maintenance engineer co-op. My second rotation was in Carrollton, KY and I was a part of the site’s Reliability & Maintenance department. My third rotation was as a TS&D (Technical Service & Development) co-op where I was working virtually for the P&SP (Packaging & Specialty Plastics) group. My first two rotations gave me great exposure to different sites where I was able to learn about the importance of having preventative maintenance plans in place, putting safety first, and more. My third rotation as a TS&D co-op was very different than my previous two rotations with Dow. I was working with R&D (Research & Development) and I got to witness the importance of connecting new products to the desires of the customer and making sure products are taking into account market trends. In between my 2nd and 3rd rotation with Dow, I also participated in an internship with the ExxonMobil Chemical Company. ExxonMobil Chemical makes different products that are used in many industries such as automotive, packaging, and consumer applications. During this internship, I was working in global supply chain as a raw materials process intern. During this role, I learned the importance of maintaining a reliable supply chain that aligns with the raw material demands of manufacturing sites. Most recently I completed an internship with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA does many different things that include managing water in some of Tennessee’s recreational areas, providing reliable energy to the Tennessee valley, and more. In this role I was working in Power Operations at the Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, TN within their Engineering group. Here I got exposure to a variety of different technologies that work together to produce energy from burning coal while meeting environmental compliance.
I originally decided to co-op because I wanted to get my foot in the door with a company to get valuable work experience that would help me get a full time job once I graduate from college. Although, I was originally apprehensive to take some time out of completing my degree; however, I’m so thankful I did choose to co-op. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was the best decision I could have made professionally for myself.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned throughout my work experiences is the importance of asking questions and realizing that I don’t make myself look bad by asking many questions. I know when I started my first co-op rotation I wanted to make sure I made a good impression and I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know what I was doing by asking what I thought were silly questions. In reality, they expect you to ask questions. You are there to learn. When I moved on to my 2nd co-op rotation I definitely made more of an effort to ask more questions if I was not fully understanding something. This improved my co-op experience and I felt more confident speaking about my projects with others. Participating in a co-op has helped me be better prepared for future full time employment opportunities as an engineer. Professionally, it has helped me understand how to communicate and collaborate with individuals especially from different backgrounds to work well as a team. This of course is important in the academic environment as well when it comes to working with others in class projects or working with others in different student clubs/organizations. I highly recommend taking up a co-op assignment because it is beneficial in so many ways. It will help you distinguish where your interests lie. This is important to know as you evaluate pursuing different career paths. It is also beneficial to have valuable work experience as this will help you be more appealing to other companies and organizations as you pursue future opportunities or full time employment. Additionally, it can help you pay for college as you work while you complete your degree.
When I’m not working or studying, I really enjoy playing soccer, riding my bike, spending time with friends and family, and playing video games.
Pro Tip: Once you get a co-op or internship take advantage of the opportunities you have to network with others. Just because you are working in one group or area does not mean you can’t talk with others about their roles and what they do. This will help you understand how different parts of a company come together and could help you later down the road when you are looking for future opportunities to return as an intern/co-op or when you are pursuing a full time job.
