Everyone was very friendly in the office and the team who I was assigned to work with was very helpful in answering my questions, giving me meaningful tasks to accomplish, and providing me with opportunities to grow in engineering expertise. My work at PEC this summer prepared me for my classes this semester and the person I was working with was intentional to teach me information for courses that I was going to be taking this year. Going into my classes, I have felt very confident because I worked with a lot of similar Statics problems and building systems during the summer. When my ArchE classes cover topics of plan reading and electrical, mechanical, and structural integration, I can follow along very well because the people at PEC introduced me to those topics early on. I am very thankful for that!
What I wish was different
I did a lot of independent work, and that is not really my thing, I like doing more collaboration and discussion rather than working on things alone.
Advice
When you have the opportunity to work in a professional environment over the summer, make every opportunity to learn and do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not to worry about being a hindrance to the other employees when you ask them questions- you are not a hindrance! Make a point to ask your team at the beginning how they would like you to ask questions, whether making lists, asking sporatically/when needed, emailing, or coming to their desk. That will save you from feeling embarrassed about asking questions.
Also, I made a list about topics I covered during my internship and tried to update it every day or every week so that I could look back and remember what I learned during the summer. It is cool to look back on!
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Electrical Engineering Intern
May - August 2019 • Wichita, KS
What I liked
I really liked how willing everyone was to help me learn. I felt comfortable asking questions and my team was ready and willing to answer them. They welcomed me in and I felt like a part of the team right away.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have been exposed to more programs that are used in the industry.
Advice
Make sure to set up a weekly meeting with a mentor so they can answer questions more in depth and give you feedback.
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Mechanical/Electrical Design Intern
March 2017 • Wichita, KS
What I liked
The exposure to the electrical realm and the training in AutoCAD and Revit.
What I wish was different
I wish I had started working with Mechanical sooner, as I only had three months in Mechanical before graduation.
Advice
QC as much as you can. After finishing a design, print it out, and look at everything.
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CAD Technician
March 2014 • Wichita, KS
What I liked
Company had set standards and goals.
What I wish was different
Job description was different than actual duties. Poor evaluation feedback.
