B&G Foods

Process Engineering Co-op

January - April 2022 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

I liked the culture a lot at this company. Everyone was welcoming to me and willing to help me out when I needed. I felt like I learned a lot here about the manufacturing industry, especially because this was my first co-op experience. I got to own a few of my own projects as well as work on projects with a group of people. I found value in both of those experiences. I felt like I was given meaningful projects that helped my learning and had an impact on the plant.

What I wish was different

This plant was formerly owned by Smucker's, and was bought out by B&G in 2020. During my term, the plant still seemed to be in a transition period between the two. Most employees had trouble adapting to the ways of the new company. Some of B&G's corporate policies seemed to hinder projects and such getting done at the plant. Getting capitol for a project was always a long process, and lack of company credit cards seemed to delay ordering necessary parts.

Advice

Definitely get to know the people there. Everyone here seems genuinely interested in my success and was willing to lend me a hand when needed. Take advantage of your recourses here, ask tons of questions and learn as much as you can. It's easy to get stuck at your desk all day, but going to talk to people and learning about the process and the company is a good way to get away from that. Getting to know the technicians is a great way to get involved and learn about the process works.

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Process Engineer

January - April 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

The Process department was really tight knit and I enjoyed working with my coworkers. The connection with management was very strong as well, and I did not feel threatened to approach the plant manager with ideas. I was given a fair amount of responsibility, too, and was given opportunities to host meetings and present ideas. The entire plant was very eager to introduce themselves and work with me. One project where this collaboration was present was in my tank painting project. There were a number of tanks on site that needed painted, and I worked with contractors, operators, and the plant manager to determine what tanks needed painted now.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more projects and constantly had something to do. There were times where all my projects and tasks were up-to-date and I was not sure what to do with my time. I also wished the roles of my coworkers was more clear from the jump. In Process, I was not entirely sure who to get in contact with if I needed help on a specific project.

Advice

Look to familiarize yourself with the process as soon as possible. There are many different steps involved with creating vegetable oil, so to be effective in your role you should know what happens in these steps. You should also ask what specific buzzwords mean that are used across the plant that those who have not worked here before may not understand. Always look to inform yourself on current projects going on in the plant so that you can help when you can.

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Engineering Co-op

January - May 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

One thing I liked about this co-op experience was learning the continuous improvement process. I was placed working with the continuous improvement manager and enjoyed being assigned projects and taking responsibility for putting these improvements into place. One project I worked on was taking data collected online and creating an excel sheet to generate a report to compare downtown data. Another project I worked on was replacing hot adhesive with a cheaper version as a cost savings project. I also worked on using focus improvement tools to reduce minor stops on a production line. These large projects along with some smaller projects gave me the opportunity to gain knowledge in the continuous improvement area.

What I wish was different

One thing I wish had been different was that I got to see more of the process side of the facility instead of only working in packing production. These two building were separate so I never got to see what was happening in the process department, and with studying chemical engineering, I was more interested in what was happening there, compared to the packing unit. I wish I would've been able to work on projects either with the process manager or the process co-op to understand more how things worked in that area. I believe learning more about that department would give me knowledgeable information to help in my future career.

Advice

One piece of advice I would share about this experience would be to not be afraid to reach out to people first. If you have a question about something or are not sure what to be working on, ask the question or see if others have something they need help with. Towards the beginning of my co-op, I was expecting people to reach out to me first, whether it was about a project I was working on, a project I was going to start, or something they were working on and needed help with. But throughout my term here, I grew more comfortable and realized you will go more accomplished when you are proactive and aren't waiting around for someone to give you something to do.

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Engineering Co-op

May 2022 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed all of my coworkers. Everyone was nice, helpful, and laid back. All of my questions were answered in a timely manner. They also gave me my own work and projects to do so I felt more involved at the plant.

What I wish was different

I wish that I had been given a more integral role in the operation. A lot of the work I was asked to do was small individual projects and not actual work like an employee. If I had been given more of this I would've felt much more apart of the company and been more busy.

Advice

One piece of advice I have is to learn how to communicate well and ask questions when needed. When you are put into a work environment, information isn't just handed to you. You have to go out there and figure it out yourself. The best way to do this is to ask your superiors and coworkers.

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