Why did you want to do an internship? What interested you in the company you worked for?

I wanted to do an internship to gain valuable experience in the field of electronics hardware engineering. Schneider Electric interested me because of their unique intersection of electronics, applied electromagnetics, and power systems.

What did a typical day at your internship look like? What sort of projects do you work on?

No two days are ever the same at Schneider Electric. I work on experimental sensing technology, meaning that we build the theory, hardware, and testing methods from the ground up. Because of this, most mornings I spend a while answering emails from suppliers, ordering more prototype samples, and solving issues with the factories in China. Next, I usually have a series of meetings with the advanced simulation team to discuss the electromagnetic simulations for new products, and with the engineering model shop to discuss designing and building new test fixtures. Then for the rest of the day, I work on new designs for products, run tests on prototype samples, and plan the roadmap for the next couple of weeks!

How did your engineering skills benefit you in your internship? 

The engineering skill that most benefited me at my internship is fast problem solving and brainstorming. In an environment where everything is new, and you are the first person that has ever needed to solve that problem, being able to think quickly about what to do has been very valuable to me.

What did you learn working at your internship that you didn’t learn as a student?

While I learned a lot of technical skills that were different from what I was taught at school, the most important skills I learned were on the business side of engineering. I spent a lot of time presenting to Directors and Executive engineering leadership levels about our projects and learned how to communicate effectively up the management chain. I’m very involved in the supply chain, where I learned how communication with suppliers isn’t always straightforward, and how to cultivate good relationships with business partners overseas. I even got the opportunity to travel around China for 3 weeks, working with our colleagues' at the Schneider Electric HUB in Shanghai, and visit suppliers manufacturing facilities.

Has this experience changed what you would like to do with your degree in the future?

After getting my B. S. E. I hope to continue working as an 

 and continue to develop new technologies in the energy landscape!

Before my internship, I didn’t know that I was interested in the electromagnetics side of electrical engineering, I wouldn’t have known that if I didn’t have this opportunity to experience it at work.

What is your advice to current students on seeking and working in internships?

My current advice for students seeking and working in an internship is to not be afraid of a co-op! Don’t be afraid to delay your graduation by one semester if it means getting a chance to learn way more new skills and develop experience in the workplace. Another thing I would advise is that just because you are a student doesn't mean that your ideas are any less valuable than full-time engineers. You could have perspectives that others might not see, and you could even get patents out of it!