Abbott

Shipping Intern

May - August 2019 • North Chicago, IL

What I liked

I like the consistent hours, getting out earlier on Fridays, learning lots of new skills and jobs within the warehouse, and expanding my knowledge.

What I wish was different

I wish that I could have done more difficult jobs that required more problem solving and more communication.

Advice

Treat everyone with the same amount of respect and professionalism.

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Purchasing Intern

May - August 2019 • Temecula, CA

What I liked

Everyone was more than willing to lend a hand and answer questions. Employees were very welcoming to interns and included us in events regularly.

What I wish was different

I wish the culture had been less formal, whole company felt slightly old and hierarchical

Advice

Meet your steakholders early on while onboarding! They are going to be your key to success.

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R&D Engineering Intern

June - August 2019 • Menlo Park, CA

What I liked

It was good experience learning how engineering projects work in the real world. I got good hands-on experience using different machines, as well as good CAD experience. I also got the opportunity to lead my own project which was very valuable.

What I wish was different

For a mechanical engineer or anyone interested in product development or R&D, this internship was perfect and I wouldn't want anything to be different. However, I am not necessarily interested in this career path so while the experience was valuable, it wasn't something I would want to do with my career.

Advice

Be sure to network with as many people as possible and to ask for help when you need it!

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Process Engineer Coop

July - December 2017 • Plano, TX

What I liked

I had the opportunity to work hands on with neuromodulation products and gain valuable industry experience. A lot of the employees there are extremely friendly and open to the coops. When working with a medical device company, there is a lot of time allocated towards documenting in a cubicle. However, you are given the opportunity to execute those protocols and write meaningful reports that have a positive impact on the company. It truly believed I was making a difference at this company and felt useful to them. I enjoyed working there for 6 months; at the 3 month mark, where everyone who does an internship returns to school, I felt like I was just getting into the flow of things at Abbott: I was familiar with acronyms, my project was in full swing mode, and I felt like I had become a part of the community at Abbott. The experience I have gained here has been beneficial to my career.

What I wish was different

Starting the coop was pretty slow; it is hard to adjust to a new working environment. Abbott provides a 1 day course on the basic knowledge of the products they create at the Plano location. I took this course 3 months into my coop and I wish I had taken it earlier.

Advice

Don't be afraid to say "I don't know". There are a lot of times acronyms or terms are said that can be confusing. When you are lost in a conversation, feel free to interject to ask questions. It is better to do so then sit quietly at a 30 minute meeting not knowing what is going on.

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Automated Test Engineering Co-Op

January - June 2017 • Sylmar, CA

What I liked

This was a fantastic opportunity to gain real, valuable, hands-on experience. You are there for 6 months, which is a long time to really get involved in projects and see your work get done and make a difference in the company. At Abbott, they have the interns doing work that matters, which was awesome.

What I wish was different

I wish that I would have taken more advantage of the resources/opportunities that a large company like Abbott has to offer. I only really started using some of their tools/instruments (such as 3-D printers) the last couple of weeks that I was there, and they had so many more opportunities that I could have learned from that I just didn't get the chance to utilize (such as attending an open-heart surgery).

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions! I know that this has been said a million times before, but I never realized how true it is until I started working. I was intimidated by everyone and thought that all of my co-workers had superior knowledge and would be bothered by my seemingly-trivial questions, but I learned to just ask them anyways, since most people are happy to help no matter how silly your question may seem. I wouldn't have learned half as much as I did if I did not ask questions.

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Automated Test Engineering, Co-op

July - December 2016 • Plano, TX

What I liked

Lots of responsibility, amazing facility, talented colleagues

What I wish was different

More design work, less documentation

Advice

Be as well-rounded as possible and prove that you're passionate about something.

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Finance Intern

June - August 2015 • Milpitas, CA

What I liked

I loved the structure and opportunities of the program.

What I wish was different

Updated computers (I.e. using latest version of excel) and less of a "bottom-line" culture.

Advice

I highly recommend this internship to those who I offered the opportunity. The opportunity of the rotational program upon graduation is worth it in of itself. Global Company that provides with global opportunities.

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