As an engineering intern, my duties changed every day. Training was one of my responsibilities. In addition to regular safety training company trainings, I also received special company trainings. Additionally, I received training on a few software programs, including PHP Runner from XLinesoft, which is used for creating databases and Machine Expert from Schneider Electric, which is used for PLC/HMI operations. I was given tasks like database migration from ASP Runner to PHP Runner and samples to program on our PLCs. I was also in charge of cross-referencing part numbers for clients. At this point, I would check to see if there was a better option for the part number the customer requested that would benefit our business and business partners. I enjoyed working on all of these projects because some of them were challenging and novel to complete. I also enjoyed that I never felt stuck when working on these tasks. The technical and sales teams at Crescent are outstanding; they collaborate to develop solutions. Every member of the engineering team has a strong suit. They greatly enhanced my experience and helped me whenever I got stuck. Travel was another thing I liked. I often got to go on customer visits with our regional application engineers to discuss potential applications in their manufacturing plants. These visits would show me the steps in automation and distribution that happens everyday. Meeting new and existing Crescent members was the final and possibly nicest thing I enjoyed. I have had the pleasure of working with people that genuinely love what they do, which fosters a fantastic work atmosphere and greatly fuels my enthusiasm for engineering.
What I wish was different
Further training in software would not be amiss. Programming and designing specific applications for clients is one of the tasks that application engineers frequently perform. I completed the basic training, but I believe I would benefit from more in-depth instruction.
Advice
Ask as many questions as you can, familiarize yourself with the software and hardware that the company sells/works with. In the two summers that I have worked for Crescent, I have learned so much, but I still have a lot to learn.
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Electrical Engineering Intern
May - August 2023 • Columbus, OH
What I liked
I enjoyed the project that I got to work on during my time with Crescent. I was tasked with converting their Global IDentifier demo from two HMI screens down to one screen using a more powerful PLC to achieve this. The Global IDentifier is a barcode scanning system that uses a barcode input to determine if other barcodes seen by a camera match. I really enjoyed this project because I got exposure to working with PLCs and HMIs which I hadn't had any experience with before. I also really enjoyed the people I got to work wit at Crescent. Everyone was passionate about their job and helped me whenever I had any questions.
What I wish was different
My internship was remote, but I wish that it was an in-person job. Since all of the programs and technology I was working with was completely new to me I got stuck frequently and often had questions about my project. Working remotely made it difficult to get my questions answered in a timely matter and progress on my project quickly. I prefer having face-to-face collaboration since it helps with my focus and motivation. Others might enjoy a remote job, but personally I felt that it hindered my performance.
Advice
I would encourage others to not be afraid to ask for help when they get stuck. As I stated previously, everything I was doing was completely new to me so I often got stuck and was unsure of what to do next. All of the people at Crescent go out of their way to help you, so no matter what problem arises someone will be willing to help you figure it out. For my project specifically, my boss and other coworker helping me were learning along with me, so asking questions benefitted everyone and not just myself.
