Audrey Zelczak’s Post

Every day, our interns experience the power of our decentralized, entrepreneurial culture through their division experiences and the opportunity to participate with our employee resource groups. Sriya Garde, an electrical and computer engineering master’s student at the University of Colorado Boulder and an electrical engineering intern at ITW Food Machines wanted an internship that trusted her to be involved in real work. Through her internship, she has experienced ITW’s entrepreneurial culture through being empowered to engage in the product development process. Q: Why did you choose to intern at ITW? A: I sought an internship where I could engage in product development, from ideation to implementation and manufacturing. During my interview, I learned I would be working on new features for Hobart Mixers and Slicers, which excited me about interning here. Additionally, ITW’s reputation as a Fortune 200 company known for engineering reliable, safe, and durable systems made me eager to be part of its culture. Q: What has been your most enjoyable intern experience this summer? A: While I’ve enjoyed working on innovative projects and collaborating with incredible people at FEG, my top experience has been being a part of the Young Professionals Network (YPN). The events and initiatives organized by YPN are not only fun but also provide excellent networking opportunities with other young professionals at various stages in their ITW careers. This involvement has made me feel connected to a larger community and aligned with those on a similar journey. Q: What has been one of your biggest takeaways from your internship so far? A: The biggest takeaway has been hands-on experience with product development, particularly from an embedded perspective. Working from the ground up on a new feature for a product has been a valuable learning experience. This role has allowed me to explore, implement, and learn from my ideas, giving me a deep understanding of how systems work and the intricacies of the new product development lifecycle. I have gained critical skills and knowledge that are invaluable in understanding the practical applications of my coursework. #ProudToBeITW

Internship Spotlight Joining a true industry giant, Caroline Youngblood, spent her summer internship with Procter & Gamble in Albany, GA. Caroline took on the role of Process Engineering intern in papermaking. She shares with us about her experience, as you can see, she understands the daily needs P&G's paper-making meets! What has been your favorite part of the internship? My favorite part about the internship has been the projects. P&G gives all their interns 5 projects to complete over the summer that have a major impact on production. My favorite project this summer has been a Stickies Loss Elimination where I developed theories as to why stickies were happening and how to combat them. Since I’ve worked on the project, we have seen a significant decrease in stickies! Projects like this make me feel like my time is being well spent and prepares me for what being a full time process engineer might look like at P&G. Do you think the PSE program prepared you for your internship? Absolutely. The best preparation I got was from attending TAPPI student summit this past year where I was able to attend a Tissue 101 session. This presentation helped me greatly with understanding how tissue/towel production is different from board, which is what both of my previous internships were in. It definitely gave me a leg up during training and getting started on my projects. Additionally, PSE 370 has a unit on tissue/towel manufacturing which taught about the drying technique used for P&G paper production. People are always impressed when you already know the terminology! How does this role differ from prior internships? P&G has been significantly different than my previous internships in terms of culture. They treat their interns as if they are full time employees and make sure the work we’re given is impactful. I have really appreciated not having any “busy work” during the summer and seeing my projects truly make a difference. Additionally, diversity is very important to P&G which I see all time while working here. I am always interacting with people of different cultures and backgrounds which creates a greater sense of belonging within the company. What have you enjoyed most about the location? Living in Albany, GA initially worried me because I grew up in the D.C. suburbs and wasn’t used to the rural area. However, Albany is a much bigger town than I expected; and haven’t been bored since I’ve been here. During the summer, I have gone tubing on the Tallahassee, white water rafting in Columbus, shopping in Thomasville, visited friends in Savannah, and got to visit Cincinnati as a P&G sponsored trip for all the interns to see headquarters. There is plenty to do in and around Albany, GA, which has been a pleasant surprise. We are so glad to hear of Caroline's enthusiasm and look forward to her smile returning to campus! Joshua Lambert Allen Sanders NC State Forest Biomaterials Department #paperscienceinternships

Every day, our interns experience the power of the ITW Business Model through real-world, on-the-job assignments. Axel Freund, an industrial management technology student at Northern Illinois University and a Safety intern at ITW Shakeproof knows this first-hand. Through his internship, Axel has been able to learn more about what makes ITW successful while gaining valuable experiences to ignite his career journey. Q: Why did you choose to intern at ITW? A: I thought the huge scope of ITW’s operations would act as an excellent catalyst for learning about general industry, business operations, and my role. Further, throughout the interview process, the folks I spoke with represented the company extremely well and showed it was a friendly place to work, which is important to me. Q: What has been your most enjoyable intern experience this summer? A: I loved working with United Way in Chicago during ITW’s Day of Action. Not only was it a great way to spend a day, but it helped me meet other professionals in the company and build my network. Q: What has been one of your biggest takeaways from your internship so far? A: There is so much to learn, and the sky is the limit. I am really getting a grasp on the scale of business and all the interworking parts in a way that previously was not on my radar. I am getting a good idea of what avenues I can take through my career to get where I want to go. #ProudToBeITW

Mariam Morafa chose to study industrial engineering because it was the perfect mix of her interests in engineering and business. This summer, she is conducting a supply chain internship with HP in Spring, Texas. Read a Q&A with her about the experience: https://lnkd.in/gHRmuFPF #Internship #IndustrialEngineering #SupplyChain

As my journey with Applied Composites comes to an end, I’ve had time to reflect on this wonderful opportunity. One of the major things I've struggled with being in this new role was imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is that uncomfortable feeling you experience when you think you're unqualified and incompetent. You might look around and assume everyone knows what they're doing except you. And if you achieve something good, you'll chalk your accomplishments up to “good luck.” We all start somewhere in our careers. The opportunity with this company was eye opening and helped me discover so much about the field of HR. Some important things to keep in mind for everyone immersing themselves in a new career environment: 1. Learn the facts 2. Share your successes AND your failures  3. Don’t be afraid to ask questions 4. Always have a good attitude These four principles have stuck with me and assisted in the development of a healthier mindset for future opportunities. Lastly, I wanted to thank the Applied Composites team and everyone who helped me during this internship. I appreciate you all. 

Can’t believe I’m already halfway done with my internship at Applied Materials! Here are some of the coolest things I’ve experienced throughout the first 6 weeks of my internship: ⛳ Applied Summer Games: Full of fun activities such as spikeball, corn hole, kan jam, and lots of FREE food (My favorite). Got to network with other interns and create memories together. 🎙️ Fireside Chat With CEO: Had the opportunity to learn from Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson. Gained insights on how Applied Materials has created an impact in the semiconductor industry and the technology world. In addition, I would like to share a few keys takeaways I have learned so far: 📝 Take notes even if you’re just sitting in a meeting. You never know when those notes will come in handy. Writing notes also helps you better retain information that was covered throughout the meeting. Personally, I like to use a physical notebook to document everything. 🎯 Keep track of your work and present your progress to your manager/supervisor. Lots of time, managers could be busy and might forget to dedicate time to follow up with your internship progress. Scheduling meetings with your manager to go over what you have accomplished will show that you are well organized and goal oriented. 🙋♂️ Ask detailed questions. Utilize your free time to do in-depth research on the project or task you’re working on. Then, spend some time with your manager or team members to discuss the questions you gathered during the process. Oftentimes, you’ll find yourself learning a lot more than just listening from peers. Looking forward to the remaining weeks and continuing to learn and grow! #Intern #AppliedIntern #MakePossible #GreatThingsHappenHere

🚀 CO OP Journey at The Shepherd Color Company👨🔬 I’m thrilled to share some highlights from my recent CO OP at The Shepherd Color Company, where I had the incredible opportunity to work on updating critical data and identifying discrepancies, addressing quality issues by recommending technical adjustments that enhanced performance, as well as take initiative that optimized operational efficiency. These projects not only improved operations but also provided me with invaluable lessons in problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective project management. My journey not only helped my technical skills, but also helped me grow professionally and personally in ways I hadn't anticipated. One of the most rewarding aspects of this internship was when the work I did actively helped on the plant floor, which gave me a real sense of accomplishment and reinforced my passion for Engineering. I am incredibly grateful to Michael Coleman, Drew Mesker and James Francis for their guidance and support throughout this journey. Here are some key takeaways from my internship: - Hands-On Experience: I had the chance to dive deep into DYNAMIX productions, which enhanced my practical skills in data management, long term observation of equipment, etc., - Professional Development: Engaging in team meetings and vendor interactions helped me develop my soft skills. - Networking: Building relationships with professionals in the industry, including vendors, different teams, contractors, etc., provided me with valuable insights and mentorship that I will carry forward in my career. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone at The Shepherd Color Company who made this internship an unforgettable and enriching experience. Your support and encouragement have been instrumental in my growth, and I look forward to staying connected with such an amazing network of professionals. Thank you for this incredible opportunity! #COOP #ProfessionalGrowth #CareerDevelopment #LearningJourney #IndustryInsights

Happy to share that I completed my summer internship once again at the Albrecht Elektrotechnik GmbH in my hometown in Germany. As an intern in the Sales and Purchasing Department, I gained valuable insights and experience. One highlight was applying the Pareto Principle to create a list of our most common purchases over the past few years. This helped identify similarities and opportunities to minimize costs. Excited to see the impact of this project moving forward! #internship #sales #purchasing #paretoprinciple

🎉 Excited to share that I had successfully completed a one-month internship program at Legrand!This experience has been incredibly valuable, allowing me to enhance my skills and gain insights. A big thank you to my mentors and the entire Legrand team for their guidance and support throughout the program.Looking forward to applying what I've learned in my future endeavors! #internship #learning #professionaldevelopment #thankful #engineering (adjust hashtags to your field)

Hello Connections 👋, Happy to share that I have completed my internship at Lucas TVS, Puducherry for a period of 25 days. During this Intern Period, I have gained a lot of knowledge about the manufacturing of solenoid switches and wiper motors used in automotive industries and I consider this Intern period as a useful opportunity to upskill my career. Internship in Lucas TVS was very challenging, interesting, and a joyful experience. The exposure and knowledge gained in the company is very different than the classroom learning. Thus by collaborating the theoretical knowledge with the practical knowledge, managed to successfully complete my Internship. #internshipcompletion #Letsskillup #practicallearning