Altec Industries

Manufacturing Engineering Intern

January 2023 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

One of the biggest I like about Altec is their constant desire to improve their processes. They have these events called Rapid Continuous Improvement (RCI). An RCI is a week-long event where people from different roles and departments come together to focus solely on a problem at hand. One of the RCIs that I was a part of was to address the process of project parts. Before the event, the tracking and storage of project parts in the plant were very inconsistent. During the week, each member involved collaborated with one another to devise the best possible solution. One of the roles I had during this event was to set up a consistent destination for project parts to be stored and picked up. To do this I had to communicate with experts involved in project parts to better understand the previous destination and whether the possible solutions I had would work. At the end of each RCI, each member of the team presents the results of the event to the rest of the plant. This is a great way for everyone to learn the processes coming from the RCI and to practice the skills of presenting.

What I wish was different

One of the things that I wish had been different was to get more opportunities to design parts for the trucks. In my role as a manufacturing engineer, I was responsible for making sure the parts were getting made correctly. Each part goes through a process where they are cut, fabricated, and painted before they are able to be assembled onto the trucks. As a manufacturing engineer, I am tasked with ensuring that these processes continually work properly and efficiently. In this role, there isn't much opportunity to actually design these parts. The work that I have gotten to actually design was targeted to improve these processes of manufacturing the parts. The parts on the trucks are typically designed by design and application engineers. If I were to come back to Altec, I would want to be in a role where I would work more specifically with designing the trucks.

Advice

My biggest advice is to always go to others for advice. No matter the task, there is always someone else who could offer you key information to address that problem. And most importantly it does not always need to be another fellow engineer. The associates working on the floor here at Altec work in their specific areas every day. Whether it is at the lasers that cut the steel or at one of the assembly lines where they put the truck together, the associate working in that area is going to have a ton of knowledge that you can utilize. Going to an associate working in the area associated with your tasks is going to help devise the best possible solution and will also help you become more comfortable with each of the processes on the floor.

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

June - August 2023 • Saint Joseph, MO

What I liked

I love the people I worked with! I got to experience a different side of the company since i worked in one division on my fall co-op.

What I wish was different

nothing

Advice

Communication is the best way to improve as an engineer. Working with a team doesn’t just involve the people solving the problem, it involves the people the change will affect and you need to incorporate them on the changes.

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Quality Engineer

January - July 2023 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

Altec is a very welcoming company. Everyone I talked to was willing to help. They treat you like an adult, give you the responsibilities as an adult. I got experience finding root causes to issues and creating preventative and corrective actions. I enjoyed putting together the pieces of information I got by talking to different people to find the true reason something didn't go according to plan. In my second rotation I was able to build off of the skills I formed in my first rotation. In addition I was able to lead my own week long project to make an improvement to the company. Overall I was able to improve on my ability to communicate and problem solve while learning about the environment of manufacturing and quality engineering.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have seeked out more opportunities for leadership. There are a lot of opportunities to lead others and solve a problem. If I was more of a change agent, I would have been able to use my skills of communication and team work to solve problems. Time flies, make sure you focus on your work, but also keep your eyes open for problems you can solve. After my second rotation I was able to capitalize on this. I was able to lead projects on my own to solve issues and improve processes within the plants. Still I would have wished I started seeking out opportunities earlier on as well as networked for when I was going to leave so I could stay in contact with the engineers at the plants.

Advice

Try practicing see it solve it as soon as possible. It is way more fulfilling to fix problems that aren't given to you. These are the problems that people are needing help with most. Talk to people on the floor and listen to their problems. Even if you can't solve them yourself, bringing up their problem someone who can solve it really makes a difference. After my second rotation, I still heavily agree with this. Beyond this, look for whatever opportunities you can get your hands on. Lead Kaizen event, reach out to other teams to assist in their work while bringing in your own view. I was able to get some of the fellow coops free lunch by creating a lunch and learn and presenting it to them. Your opportunities only go as far as you reach for them.

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Engineering Co-op

January - July 2023 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

The company has great values and community. This is the type of company that has strong values and sticks with them. During my time there I was given plenty of responsibility and freedom with my work. Since I was there for a double rotation I was able to experience being the engineer over a certain area in the plant. This meant that people would ask me questions and I would have similar responsibilities to a full-time engineer. I worked in the final assembly plant I was able to see the whole manufacturing process from start to finish. This gave me a better understanding of the product that was being produced and I got to see all the different types that were made at that specific plant. Another aspect I liked about Altec was their training programs, I felt like several of them were very insightful. The trainings were not only helpful for my time at Altec, but they are also helpful for other aspects of my professional life and I believe that I will be able to use several of the ideas I learned during these trainings.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have looked into some of the other areas and worked with some others in those areas. I wish I was able to fly a couple of different units so I could see the differences between them better.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions about anything, including your work and the product. Doing this shows you are engaged in your work and that you are working hard. Also, get involved with as much as you can while you are there, it will give you a lot of experience. If you want to work on a certain project or do something in particular during your co-op let your supervisor know.

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Applications Engineering Co-op

January 2023 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

I really liked how the company gave me actual projects that applications engineers at the company would normally be doing such as re-designing counterweight brackets. These projects that I have done resulted in changes to trucks that I am able to see when I walk out on the floor. Another thing I really liked about the company was that everyone is there to help you learn. As a co-op you aren't the only one learning, all the engineers are constantly learning by talking to our associates on the floor who are building the trucks and vice versa. This then leads to a climate of constant learning for everyone.

What I wish was different

I really wish that I was part of at least one RCI (Rapid continuous improvement) event that our company hosted. Basically, an RCI is when a group of people gets together for a week to tackle a big problem the company is facing. There are three weeks of preparation for the event, one week where you are only focused on solving that problem, then you must "report out" what you did to the whole company on Friday morning, and then there are 3 weeks of follow-up/sustainment tasks. From what I have heard, it is a very fun week and it teaches you a lot about problem-solving, teamwork, and project management.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would share about my experience is to try and get involved in as much as you can while still being able to balance your workload. I am involved in many different projects that are part of my engineering division at work, but I also jumped in and helped the quality team and joined an APS committee (Altec Production System). These other experiences that I took up while working gave me a different perspective of the company and also gave me an idea of what other jobs are available at the company. This is very beneficial if you are going back for another term too as you can request to co-op in a different department.

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Quality Engineering Co-op

August - December 2022 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

There was really so much I liked but most of all was the people. Altec is full of fun, kind, and intelligent people. As a first rotation co-op I didn't really know what to expect but I felt welcomed by everyone there as soon as a walked through the door and it never stopped before I left to return to school. Another great aspect was the variety of work I got introduced to because as the Quality Co-op I got to see most of the processes from start to finish and I gave me a good baseline of what we did.

What I wish was different

One thing I wish had gone a little differently is wanting to work with different divisions within the Elizabethtown campus and other divisions. I know its not always feasible but I would have liked to go see other campuses and see how they work and the differences between each campus. Also, within the Elizabethtown campus I felt like a didn't get a great opportunity to work with all other groups their, but for some projects I did get a small amount of interaction with them. So, the main thing a would have wanted to be different is being able to branch out to other divisions and groups within Altec.

Advice

One thing I would say to do is seek opportunities. That I mean by this is apart from your projects you will be assigned find opportunities whether it be work related or not to learn about anything you can. Also, don't be afraid to ask if you need anything. As I said before everyone is very nice and wants to help you grow so don't feel like people will hold questions against you.

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Manufacturing Engineer Co-op

January - May 2022 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

My favorite aspect throughout my first co-op rotation at Altec is the helpful and friendly community at all levels. I have had the opportunity to interact with everyone from production line workers to the plant manager and these conversations have revealed a great atmosphere with everyone willing to share their knowledge to make Altec a better place. This community encouraged building deeper relationships to improve the sharing of resources and connecting on a more personal level. As a manufacturing engineer, I developed critical thinking and communication skills to improve efficiency, quality, and safety from a higher level by applying process improvements to the production line as a whole as well as with a closer perspective talking to floor associates to improve the ease of assembly within their station. Altec offers the experience, responsibility, and freedom to discover your passions in the field of engineering and develop the professional skills to succeed after college.

What I wish was different

In four months with Altec, I have enjoyed every moment of my experience at Altec learning each day. Looking back, I wish I would have utilized the resources in the community sooner. Growing connections and points of contact for all of your projects create valuable resources for any questions that arise. Forming relationships with other coops are a great place to start to become more comfortable in the work place and learn more about each of the teams. Altec creates opportunities for responsibility and provides the freedom to utilize critical thinking in order to complete a task in the best manner you see fit. I wish I had looked to demonstrate leadership on more teams earlier in my rotation.

Advice

My advice to gain the most out of the co-op experience is to develop as many relationships as possible. Forming a strong connection with your supervisor, team, and other coops grows confidence and comfortability in the workplace and creates the greatest enjoyment of work. Through different projects, I was able to meet other engineers from different teams to network connections for future projects and even participate in outside of work activities. With each of these projects, don't be afraid to reach out for help from other teams members or other connections as they will be able to point you towards a resource who will be able to answer the question. The best way to grow during the experience is to use everyday as a chance to develop all your critical thinking, leadership, and communication skills.

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Manufacturing Engineer Co-op

January - May 2022 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

I really enjoyed the work environment in which I was placed. I was surrounded by very determined and experienced manufacturing engineers. The projects I was given and the environment I was surrounded by pushed me to learn and grow in my desired field of manufacturing engineering. I got first-hand training of LEAN manufacturing and I also was able to learn about Altec Production System and a little about Toyota Production System. I was able to do all of this while keeping quality and efficiency at the front of everything I did. This was a great experience to learn applied engineering outside of the classroom.

What I wish was different

While I enjoyed my time with Altec Industries, I wish I could have experienced more co-op group activities. I was informed that in the past, the co-ops are usually assigned a group task such as designing a large machine or leading a community event. I also learned that the co-ops are usually given the opportunity to attend events. I believe COVID prevented these types of events from occurring but I wish we had the same opportunities as COVID restrictions are being lifted. I believe these events will become more common in the near future with Altec.

Advice

I would advise creating a close relationship with a supervisor as well as a mentor. I was placed with two great supervisors and they were a great resources of information in manufacturing engineering. Initially my questions to them were based on the job but gradually I was able to ask them more broad questions about the manufacturing engineering field and their own experiences. I also developed great relationships with several experts in the plant I worked. I learned a lot just by asking questions and working on projects with them.

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Software Quality Assurance Analyst Intern

June 2020 • Birmingham, AL

What I liked

-The ability to adapt during a remote model

What I wish was different

-Meet in person

Advice

-Do not be afraid to ask questions!

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Applications Engineer

May - December 2019 • Mount Airy, NC

What I liked

I was able to get exposure to the design of trucks from smaller chassis to large. I got experience on the production line to see how these trucks were built. I got hands-on with all types of trucks, I was trained in our hydraulics stage as well as the wiring stages.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Computer Applications Engineer

February - August 2019 • St. Joseph, MO

What I liked

Great coworkers, good work environment and close to the school.

What I wish was different

Different initial training for on the job training. More relevance to the actual job rather than to generic corporate initial training.

Advice

Take in everything with a bit of salt, you'll make mistakes but that's okay and your coworkers have all been in the same shoes you are in so don't be afraid to ask for assistance.

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Aerials Product Design Co-Op

July - August 2019 • St. Joseph, MO

What I liked

Co-ops have the ability to do meaningful work and impact the final product.

What I wish was different

It would have been nice to be paid more.

Advice

Ask questions and seek out work.

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Manufacturing Engineer

June 2019 • St. Joseph, MO

What I liked

I really enjoy the atmosphere and the ability to have many new opportunities presented to me in a small amount of time. Very willing to help and willing to teach.

What I wish was different

I wish the location of the plant could be closer to family.

Advice

Always keep an open mind and never let someone else's opinion on something effect what you think. This has been an incredible experience with some amazing people at Altec.

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Design Engineer Intern

May - August 2019 • Birmingham, AL

What I liked

Great hands on experience. Was able to work on difficult projects. Managers had trust in our ability as well as plenty of feedback and help if needed

What I wish was different

Commute to work was rough. Sometimes hard to complete projects on time due to heavy workload throughout department

Advice

If you want to learn a whole lot about the manufacturing process, sometimes Design work can be more beneficial than a typical manufacturing role. I was part of the whole process from sales all the way to finished product out the door. Great way to learn how an idea on paper becomes a hard product

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Application Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

Applying my knowledge into the real world and being able to adjust my expectations based on feedback.

What I wish was different

Wish I had knew more about Solidworks prior to taking the position. Our major does not go in-depth enough for industry use.

Advice

Go to work on time.

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Associate Engineer

May - August 2018 • St. Joseph, MO

What I liked

Doing actual engineer work instead of paper pushing

What I wish was different

Advice

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Manufacturing Engineering Intern

May - August 2018 • Elizabethtown, KY

What I liked

Fun work environment, interesting work. People are very friendly, make you feel at home and comfortable. Very easy to get up every morning and want to go to work. Never felt like my job was "busy work" or unimportant. Was largely treated as a "real engineer" in terms of responsibility and tasks/projects.

What I wish was different

location.

Advice

If you've never done manufacturing, or have any interest in the field at all, Altec is a great place to work and learn just what exactly an engineer does. Don't let the location scare you, theres a lot of ways to still have fun outside of work even in the small (ish) town.

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