Emerson

Electrical Engineering Co-op

May - August 2022 • Rockford, IL

What I liked

One of my favorite aspects of this co-op rotation was the opportunity I had to work with many brilliant engineers. Each engineer I worked with had knowledge and skill far beyond mine, and each one was happy to spare some of their expertise with me and help me grow as an engineer. Another thing I like about my experience was the level of independence I was given. Besides some of the most vital business responsibilities and skill differences, I was treated like another engineer. I was given a task and trusted to come up with an effective plan of action, and the most I was managed was checking in every now and then and checking my results, perfect for a self-motivated person like myself.

What I wish was different

Although my experience was great, the co-op program can stand to grow still. The co-op program at my location is still just beginning, and as such there is not much of a co-op student community here yet. Another thing to mention is that at times there is little to do. Once again though, this is likely due to how early the program still is, as many of the engineers are independent as well. Unless you are self-motivated and know how to keep yourself busy, you may find yourself with a lot of free time. Just make sure to be around the engineers and show you're willing to be there.

Advice

Making sure to show that you actively want to be there is crucial in any role as a student. Try not to just sit in your desk all day but walk around the office and labs. Talk to everyone as much as you can to learn about what they're working on or just to see how they're doing. Be willing to learn and go out of your way to do so when appropriate. You're not only there to provide value to your company, but also to grow yourself.

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Quality, Safety, & Sustainability Co-op

January - May 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really enjoyed the larger projects that eventually culminated. I got to work on the Emerson SIdney Treasure Hunt to save on electricity and natural gas. This mapping has us scheduled to save on over 250K annually. I also enjoyed how everything was meaningful in the end. Even though some things seemed like busy work at the time, eventually I saw the value in everything I did.

What I wish was different

One thing that was somewhat difficult was my split roles- since I am quality, safety, and sustainability. It was sometimes difficult to manage my time between all of them. However, they are now separating my role into two different positions. Another issue I found was the time allocations. I found myself very, very busy at times and with little to do every once in a while. This is because a lot of the stuff I could do was time based. Lastly, I wish I had done an earlier co-op with Emerson, so I could have had another term.

Advice

One major piece of advice would be how helpful it is to just communicate with others. I learned that it makes the days a lot more structured and easier. Everyone- at least in my experience- has been open to answering all questions. Furthermore, I gained more experience just by talking with others; I only got into sustainability, because someone who previously was not my boss asked me if I was interested in it. Overall, I advise to take as man opportunities as you can during your experience. One other piece of advice was the co-ops. Emerson offers so many, so be sure to choose one that you will enjoy.

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Engineering co-op

January - May 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I liked that the job kept me busy. There was always something to work on so it wasn't "boring". I also liked how my supervisor was flexible and trusting in my abilities as an engineering co-op. He allowed me to make mistakes but he was also supportive when and if I had any questions. I also really enjoyed that the job was collaborative with other departments. I got to experience first hand how important communication and teamwork played into an engineer's role.

What I wish was different

I was overall really happy with my experience. If I were to have to choose something that could've been different, I wish I could've learned how to use more equipment. I know this is usually reserved for returning co-ops but if I had the option, I would've taken on the challenge and tried to learn and do as much as possible. The lab that I worked in had a wide range of capabilities and I wish I would've had the opportunities to try even more new things. Seeing how much there actually was to learn just in the group I was working in made me extremely excited for my future career as a Chemical Engineer.

Advice

The biggest piece of advice I would share about my experience would be to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I remember how intimidated I was my first week on the job and working with different chemicals and equipment. I knew that if I wanted to learn for myself, I just had to jump right in and try it. I would also say to be forgiving of yourself. Realizing that you will make mistakes on the job is part of the learning experience so I think it's important to not get down on yourself if you have to rerun a test on a sample. Also to prevent making "big" mistakes, ask a lot of questions!

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Engineering Co-op

January - April 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

Working for Emerson allowed me to gain a lot of industy experience which was very helpful for me. It was neat to see what I have been learning in my classes get applied in the real world. I enjoyed getting to work on my own projects and having a say in what I worked on. I also liked how meaningful and impactful the projects I worked on were. I could tell that the work I was doing was useful to the team I was working with,

What I wish was different

I had a really great experience for my first co-op at Emerson. I enjoyed the work that I did and the co-workers that were on my team. I am not really sure what I wish would have been different about my experience. Some days were slower than others, but that is just the nature of the work. Overall, I enjoyed my experience as a co-op at Emerson.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would share is to try and soak up as much information and experience as you can. Also do not be afraid to ask questions. There was so much to learn, and everyone was so willing to share their knowledge and experiences. It is okay to not know everything, and no one expects you too. Just go in with an open mindset and be eager to learn a lot of new things.

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Engineering Co-op

January 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really liked how I was given projects from multiple different engineers. This allowed me to get a broader understanding of the work done at Emerson than if I had only worked within my immediate group. I was given the opportunity to learn from the lab technicians as well and do hands on work with them which helped me learn a lot more about the machines I was engineering. I also liked how the engineers made an effort to give me meaningful work within the projects rather than giving me more menial tasks. This made me feel like I was a valued part of the team. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming from day one which made my experience really positive.

What I wish was different

I chose to live in Dayton for this co-op term which was difficult because of the long commute to Sidney. I had to wake up earlier and lost part of my evenings because of the drive. However, I don't think I would have chosen to move to Sidney knowing that it is a smaller town. I also wish I could apply to more specific positions as a co-op. As a mechanical engineer I had to apply to the mechanical engineering co-op position and then I was placed in a group. It would have been nice to apply to specific groups within mechanical engineering so that I could apply to the groups that interested me the most. However, I did end up happy in the group I was placed with.

Advice

Make the most of your experience. Try to meet as many of your coworkers as you can and get to know them because it makes the work a lot more fun. Also, get as involved as you can with co-op events, company events, and projects in general. The company makes an effort to schedule a lot of fun things but they are all optional. You will get so much more out of your experience if you choose to participate. Also, you can choose to only do what you are asked to do for projects but when you go above and beyond, asking questions and trying to understand more about the project and get more involved, you learn so much more and it's a lot more interesting.

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Project and Testing Engineering Co-Op

August - December 2021 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

The culture if my department was very inclusive and provided the best environment for learning. The department had many bonding events to help network and build strong work relationships. My whole team included me on many projects and gave me many opportunities to learn about our products. My projects were very meaningful to the department and challenged me to learn more. I feel like I was able to make a big impact with my projects and develop many new skills during my co-op term. The co-op managers in my department were very good at giving meaningful work to co-ops and providing useful resources to our learning.

What I wish was different

I wish my term could have been longer. I really enjoyed my experience and wished it lasted longer. Since I am a returner for the company, I did not have to go through an onboarding process and I found it a small struggle to get settled as it had been awhile since my previous co-op. Other than that, I really enjoyed my term and did not want to change anything about my experience.

Advice

Always ask the why questions and really understand the work that you are doing. Being able to understand how your work has an impact boosted my desire to work on the project. Knowing every detail about my projects made it a lot easier to collaborate with managers and executives.

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Engineering Co-Op

September 2020 - August 2021 • Shakopee, MN

What I liked

I really enjoyed the work environment at Emerson and the real world experience that I gained there.

What I wish was different

I do wish that the projects I chose were more related to my major, Chemical Engineering.

Advice

I would go into every experience with an open mind. You will be surrounded by people who are very intelligent and who will teach you so many things if you are willing.

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production team

December 2020 - August 2021 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

coworkers were all very friendly

What I wish was different

the hours were very long and standing all day

Advice

it was hard work and took dedication

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Mechanical Engineer

June - August 2021 • Shakopee, MN

What I liked

I loved the working environment at Emerson, I feel as I’ve learned so much in a short span of time.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have more time to work on my project.

Advice

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from anyone.

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Marketing Res

May - July 2021 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

Loved the environment of the workplace as well as the people I worked with! Everyone is super supportive and wants to see you succeed. Both of my supervisors during both of my rotations were transparent with me and we had an open line of communication. They have mid-term and end-of-term evaluations in place to help you gauge how you're doing along the way and have a discussion about other potential projects to become involved in. It's also a great way to receive feedback and let you know what you're doing well and what you can improve on to make the most of your time there!

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Even if they seem silly, they can be really beneficial to your experience as well as learning about the company and WHY they're doing things. Also, get involved. They have a lot of opportunities, especially with the co-ops to network professionally and socially.

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Software Development Co-op

September - December 2020 • Elyria, OH

What I liked

Good learning experience, in-person job.

What I wish was different

Less commuting.

Advice

Learn fast!

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Project Engineer

August - December 2019 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

This was my first experience as a real engineer, and I really enjoyed it! I worked in new product development, and one of the areas that this included was competitive analysis. My favorite project was taking a competitor's product testing it, and getting to learn all about it and present my findings back to my manager.

What I wish was different

I wish that was given more responsibilities at this position. I think due to my lack of technical experience, I was given smaller filler projects for most of my time at the company.

Advice

It is a great place to start and learn about the vast field of engineering. The biggest take-away that I have from this experience is that communication and time management are huge in this industry and our future careers.

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Analyst Research and Business Development Center

April - July 2019 • Idaho Falls, ID

What I liked

I like so mush the experience

What I wish was different

I don't know in this time

Advice

It so good experience, I think everyone need live this experience

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Line Worker

May - July 2019 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

Supervisors in my plant were polite and helpful.

What I wish was different

There was no air conditioning in the particular plant I worked in. I had a very physically demanding job where there should have been a lift/hoist but all the work was done manually.

Advice

Be sure to find out what kind of work you would be doing during your interview so you are positive if you want to work for them.

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Engineering Co-Op

August 2020 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

My managers were both really supportive and communicated often with me. I was also able to get nearly the full experience of doing work done by full-time engineers: designing, testing, analysis, programming, collaborating, and reporting.

What I wish was different

I wish it did not occur during a Covid-intensive semester. There were a couple of outbreaks in the area and it was quite scary to physically go to work everyday despite everything. The fact that the company was located in an area where mask-wearing is not prevalent in public also did not help.

Advice

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Manufacturing Engineer Intern

May - August 2020 • Natchitoches, LA

What I liked

I loved the environment at Alliance and the diversity of the projects I was able to work on. I am also thankful for the experience I gained by giving presentations to upper management.

What I wish was different

Advice

I would recommend this position to any Industrial Engineering student looking for real-world experience while earning their degree.

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Tree Top Supervisor at Callaway Gardens

May - August 2019 • Pine Mountain, GA

What I liked

The social aspect of interacting with guests and my coworkers

What I wish was different

If there had been better management of the department, I would've enjoyed the workplace better.

Advice

Whenever you need help or feel overwhelmed, people are always willing to help if you just ask.

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Accounts payable co-op

May 2020 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

relates to my specialization

What I wish was different

not starting during a pandemic

Advice

Get to know as many people at the job as much as you can and connect

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Simulation Co-op

January - August 2020 • Marshalltown, IA

What I liked

What I liked the most was the amount of freedom / responsibility given to me on my projects. Our team was fairly small so there is a lot of crucial work that needs to be done by everyone. Everyone on my team was great at communicating even in full online environment.

What I wish was different

I wish the company would give co-ops the chance to continue working during the school year. Especially on the Simulation team, where it would be very doable.

Advice

Make sure you keep track of all your responsibilities on your projects on a piece of paper or something. At some points, I was working on at least half a dozen projects so having them on a document helped me see my priority in work.

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