GE Aerospace

GE Aviation Systems Engineering Co-Op/Intern

January - August 2022 • Vandalia, OH

What I liked

I worked as a Product Support and Services Engineering Intern at the Vandalia, OH, site, and there were so many things I liked about it. For example, I liked that my supervisor was actively engaged. She met with me regularly so we could discuss my projects and so I could voice any thoughts or questions I had. I also like GE’s culture of encouraging questions. I never was made to feel ashamed or embarrassed when I asked simple questions; my questions were appreciated and encouraged. Additionally, I liked how GE has an established networking system that makes it easy for interns to meet with other engineers and expand their professional network. I met with so many amazing people who had helpful insights to share. I also liked having formal and informal mentorships for professional development, technical engineering development, and more.

What I wish was different

I wish the onboarding process would have been quicker and easier. As part of the onboarding process, co-ops/interns have online tasks they have to fulfill before their start date. Some of the tasks included answering questions and surveys about their experiences preparing for the co-op internship in a variety of ways. I arranged to live at home and drive to work each day, so answering questions about the moving process to fulfill online survey requirements was not applicable. I wish I could have answered more questions about topics that better applied to my situation. Overall, I wish the surveys part of the onboarding requirements would have been more tailored to each possible housing situation, especially for those living at home.

Advice

One piece of advice I would like to share about this experience is to really take advantage of the opportunities available. For example, take advantage of the networking opportunities available because there are so many amazing people to meet and so many things to learn from them. I know so much more about the professional world and electrical engineering from the networking sessions I have had. Also, take advantage of the mentorship opportunities. I had a couple mentors, and they were incredible in really investing in teaching me and empowering me to become the best engineer I can be. Overall, to get the most out of your co-op/internship, you have to invest in it by taking hold of the many opportunities it has to offer.

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EIC Intern / Co-op

September - December 2021 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

I worked at the GE Aviation ACSC repair facility in Springdale, OH. My co-workers were very nice and easy to get along with. They were always willing to explain a process or concept that was new to me, and on most days the work place at ACSC is very relaxed with little to no micromanagement for co-ops. I feel that people in ACSC are free to be very genuine, and do not have to adhere to many workplace formalities. This made it easy to have conversations and any nerves quickly dissipate. It was nice to get an inside look at how expensive engine parts are handled, and there was always something new to learn about the processes that parts go through. I also thought it was nice that my assignment leader had periodic meetings with me.

What I wish was different

At times I felt the details of the projects I was given were not fully understood by those who assigned the projects to me. I was often told by employees who I was referred to that the tasks I was assigned to were out of the scope of an intern--sometimes they even seemed out of the scope of the employees themselves. Some of the things I was doing seemed temporary and redundant. When I was given a new task, it was often very hastily explained in a way that seemed too abstract for a new co-op. I think it would be useful to be as concrete as possible with co-ops assignments; establish a clear vision of what the end goal for the project should look like and/or accomplish. Overall, I would say ACSC needs to prepare better for new interns before they arrive at the plant, improve on providing co-ops basic and comprehensive information to understand important repair/ACSC processes, and be much more formal and clear about co-op responsibilities.

Advice

If you are a new co-op ACSC, take notes frequently. There are a lot of acronyms.

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Digital Technology Intern

May - August 2021 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

- Modern Technology - Worked on a meaningful project - Great mentorship from senior developers - Company culture is moving in the right direction - Digital Technology program overall is run very well - My manager was great

What I wish was different

I wish more people would have come into the office. My team only went in one day a week so I felt a bit disconnected.

Advice

Go out of your way to meet people. Set up one to ones with as many people as you can.

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Supply Chain Intern

August 2020 • Louisville, KY

What I liked

I enjoyed my learning experience at GE and it was the best opportunity to explore the world of manufacturing , Finally it was a very friendly environment to work at.

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

GE is a learning experience not just a company.

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Mayor's SummerWorks Intern (Manufacturing Production Worker)

June - August 2020 • Louisville, KY

What I liked

I got a lot of hands-on experience working both on the factory line and with the engineering team. When on the factory line, I was able to immerse myself in the manufacturing process and see things from another perspective when talking with the team.

What I wish was different

The hours were kind of rough [6:00 am - 3:30 pm] and the managers weren't the best in all honesty.

Advice

Don't be afraid to watch the manufacturing process quickly and give recommendations on how it could be improved!! I made a few small changes in my time there to the control systems set in place given the permission of the team.

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

January - April 2020 • Schenectady, NY

What I liked

I liked how hands-on the experience was and that I was able to complete projects that were meaningful to the company.

What I wish was different

I wish I had known more information before I started.

Advice

I would definitely be sure to talk with as many people as you can because the people that work there are super knowledgeable and helpful, so you can learn a lot from them.

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Industrial Engineering Intern

June - August 2020 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

This internship was during COVID-19, and thus it took place virtually. A lot of my peers had gotten their internships rescinded or cancelled, but I really appreciated the fact that GE made the effort to continue this summers program online. They did a good job of finding platforms to host networking events, spent a week introducing us to GE's culture, and presented their missions and values at GE in depth so we could get a feel for the company.

What I wish was different

Apart from obviously wishing the experience was in person, because nothing can fully replace that, I wish we had more project-based time instead of just virtual leaning and simulation-type projects. Towards the end of the internship we were given an actual GE aviation project regarding an NPI (new product introduction) and we had to put into practice the entire decision making process as well as manufacturing and production, analytics skills, facilities layout, product pricing, market analysis, cost-out, reporting, etc. This was by far the greatest take away of my internship and I wish we had longer, would have started from the beginning on this, or could have gone even more in depth.

Advice

It is really important to network and connect with people that you work with while you're there. The people really make such a difference - whether it is in person or virtual. If your team's ideologies or way of working isn't working for you, it will only lead to conflicts or you feeling tired at the end of the day, but when you find a good team that fits with you you'll feel so energized to take on projects and get work done! Also, explore all the resources that your internship may have to offer! GE for example has classes that are free to employees that teach you workplace fundamentals such as turbofan engine design, thermodynamics, lean manufacturing and more!

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Indirect Sourcing Intern

June 2020 • Portland, OR

What I liked

I like that my team and the people I worked with were very supportive. I learned a lot from them and they made this a memorable experience.

What I wish was different

I wish that it was in person instead of remote since it was a lot harder to connect and network when you are not in person.

Advice

I have learned how to manage my time since I was working with different regions of the world, be more flexible, adaptable and to not be afraid to ask question.

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Field Engineer

January - May 2020 • Wilmington, NC

What I liked

There was significant hands on experience and various training courses to prepare you for the work. I got to travel to several different states including North Carolina, South Carolina, California, and Pennsylvania. Everyone was incredibly helpful and kind. A questioning attitude was greatly encouraged.

What I wish was different

I wish there hadn't been a pandemic

Advice

I would say definitely be prepared to work both mentally and physically. There are a lot of challenges handed to you to get your mind working and some of the work requires physical labor. To be a part of the field services program, you had to be involved with one of the many outages for the nuclear reactors GE services and that requires you to be on your feet and moving a lot.

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Digital Technologies Intern

May - August 2019 • Niskayuna, NY

What I liked

I had a great experience working for GE over the summer. I immediately felt like I was a part of the team and my ideas were always considered and taken as seriously as those of full-time employees. I learned a ton about how a corporate company runs and how projects are carried out within it.

What I wish was different

Personally, the only hardship I faced was the fact that there was only one other UI/UX designer that I was working with, and he was a contractor. I would have liked to see how the team functioned with an in-house designer or two who were always there to bounce ideas off of. I think GE Research could benefit from having a UI/UX designer as a full-time employee.

Advice

This was my first internship experience, so I had no idea what to expect. I was overwhelmed at first when we immediately jumped into a project, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the inner workings of the company and how to better present myself and my work. I was able to showcase what I've learned from my college education so far, which greatly increased my confidence.

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Supply Chain Intern

June - August 2019 • Rutland, VT

What I liked

Personally I enjoyed the variation in the type of work I was able to do during my short time there. Working at a plant that created airplane Airfoil Blades from start to finish, I was able to be involved with engineering tasks such as quality control or process management for all stages of the blade as it went from initial forging up to final machining. It was great not only seeing the kind of work put into creates the airfoils but also meeting the people that made it all happen.

What I wish was different

I would have preferred to have been given longer projects since the majority of my responsibilities was addressing small issues confined to a single process, these usually took about a week long to wrap up. I think that a larger project would have allowed me to have more of a sense of ownership as make more impactful changes.

Advice

Take the initiative and seek opportunities to work and learn. During the first few weeks of my internship I found I had a lot of down time between projects, and it wasn't until I made a conscious effort to go seeking work that I realized there was so much more that I could do. It is an internship after all, so it's a good idea to seek chances to learn and gain experience at any point you can.

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Engineering Intern

July - September 2018 • Minden, NV

What I liked

It was Great. Lots of learning

What I wish was different

Wish I had been able to take more time off.

Advice

It was great!

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Non-Metallic Materials Lab Support

June - August 2019 • Schenectady, NY

What I liked

Great environment, team, and word dynamics. Allowed a lot of growth in my knowledge and experience.

What I wish was different

Advice

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environmental health and safety co-op

August 2019 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

the culture

What I wish was different

projects/roles

Advice

take any opportunity that is presented to you

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Materials Science Intern

May - August 2019 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

Having hands on experience in a wide variety of materials, and being able to do work that was meaningful to the company.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Supply Chain Logistics Intern

June - August 2019 • Erie, PA

What I liked

The hands on and amount I was responsible for. I had a major hand in the operations of the company and future products to come.

What I wish was different

Got introduced to more roles within the company.

Advice

Go out and get your hands dirty and be outgoing. People are willing to help you just have to ask for it.

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Controls Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Lynn, MA

What I liked

I loved the worked environment as well as the newer technologies I was learning about. I also really enjoyed working with my team and exploring a new city!

What I wish was different

Advice

Always try new experiences even if they seem scary and far fetched!

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

I learned a lot and I felt like a useful part of the team.

What I wish was different

I wish I was given more responsibility

Advice

Always ask for work

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Manufacturing Engineer Co-op

May 2019 • Pensacola, FL

What I liked

Working at GE I really felt that I was a part of the team. My contributions were relevant and will have a long term impact on safety, quality and on-time delivery. My supervisor gave me regular feedback on my performance and guided me to have a successful experience.

What I wish was different

I wish there was a better system for me to become orientated with the processes in the plant. I took several weeks just familiarizing my self with the people and process.

Advice

To anyone considering this position, be a learner and be humble. Everyperson you talk to has some experience that you do not have so be willing to learn from anyone.

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