Rhinestahl Corporation

Quality Co-op

May - August 2023 • Mason, OH

What I liked

During my time at Rhinestahl, I had the chance to work at both locations of the company. I spent my time at AMG focusing on supplier quality process improvements, while I assisted the quality team at CTS with source inspection during the second half of my term. I really enjoyed being able to work with multiple individuals and teams, essentially giving me two different engineering experiences in one internship. The co-ops were allowed to schedule an event (we chose a breakout room), which was a lot of fun and let all of the co-ops share their experiences with each other. I mainly enjoyed doing real work that supported the company and its goals.

What I wish was different

While I did enjoy working at both Rhinestahl AMG and CTS, there was an apparent lack of communication that resulted in me not knowing what was going on and where I needed to be. There were a few times where I was told to help someone, and that person had no idea I was coming to help and was unprepared. I had quite a bit of downtime compared to my previous co-ops, but this could be due to the nature of my role as I spent a lot of time waiting for suppliers to respond to emails. It occasionally felt like the co-ops couldn't be trusted with more complicated tasks, which made us unable to help and with a lack of daily work.

Advice

For incoming co-ops, I would advise you to be very active about requesting projects and daily tasks. Internships don't feel as productive and engaging when you aren't given work that adds value. All co-ops should attend the co-op event along with company lunches, as it is a great opportunity to connect with other students and employees. My advice to Rhinestahl as a company would be to focus on streamlining the co-op program and experience. It would be great for incoming co-ops to know exactly what they will be doing and what projects they should be involved in or lead as soon as possible.

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Engineering & Technical Program Manager Co-Op

May - August 2022 • Mason, OH

What I liked

Rhinestahl CTS is a smaller company, but it doesn't feel like your typical work environment, it's a small community or one might even say a family. As an engineering co-op, you're not just given busy work, you're doing real-world projects that pertain to the company and their earnings. The leadership is truly phenomenal too and everyone wants you to ask as many questions as possible as they will find the answers. I also never did the same work over and over. I was always given different projects and pulled into different meetings, which really expanded my knowledge beyond engineering. More specifically, as an Engineering and Technical Program Manager Co-Op, I was surrounded by people with a dense knowledge of different sectors of the aerospace industry which allowed me to learn different items from all of them! Finally, Rhinestahl cherishes their co-ops and really celebrates your contributions to the company.

What I wish was different

I wish I could’ve had more opportunities to visit with customers, but GE is the only one that is even remotely close as Rhinestahl collaborates with suppliers and customers across the globe! I can’t say I was always on my feet doing hands-on work, but I will say I usually did at least once a day. I am not a fan of sitting all day, but for most of my projects it was necessary to sit down at a computer or desk to complete them. Additionally, I wish I could’ve been given a better transition into the work and flow of the company as it is difficult to pick up on all the different things going on. However, during my term I brought this to several leaders’ attention, and I even began creating documents to help future co-ops!

Advice

So far, small companies are perfect if you want to have that community, family, and ease of communication, but long-term is makes it harder to rise in the ranks and climb the stereotypical “company ladder.” As for larger companies you can climb this ladder, but it may feel less like family, and it is best to get in and see how they both feel. Leadership at companies is also extremely important too because a leader should know how to bring out your best abilities to compliment your co-workers and ensure everyone sticks together well. So, if there’s no good leadership, then likely you won’t feel as utilized or close-knit with you co-workers. Yet, when it comes to Rhinestahl this isn’t the case, the leaders of teams don’t feel like your boss, and they want to bring the most out of you so that every part of the team is at full capacity. To clarify, Rhinestahl Corporation is separated into Rhinestahl CTS and Rhinestahl AMG, certain positions apply for certain locations or even both (they’re less than 10 minutes from each other), so be sure to discuss. I was at Rhinestahl CTS!

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