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Student Spotlights

Cera Gowans: Manufacturing Engineering

Cera worked as an engineering intern for Parker Hannifin Corporation during spring/summer 2022 semester.

Describe a day in your life as an intern.

Every day, I started out attending the daily production meeting. Then, I would work on my summer project, which was to redesign mold bases for injection molding.

What industry/job specific skills did you learn?

I learned how to use AutoDesk inventor and request quotes from vendors on different machinery. I also learned more about how to automate different processes and how to carry out tool design.

What is one thing you learned from this internship experience that could be applied to other settings?

I learned a lot about giving presentations. This is a skill that I had not really developed, but one that I used a lot during my internship and will definitely use after as well.

What was your favorite part of your internship experience?

I was able to participate in a corporate continuous improvement event called Kaizen week. During this week, I was assigned to a team to tackle a specific project using a variety of lean manufacturing tools. It was really cool to work on a multidisciplinary team and learn so much about lean manufacturing.

How did this internship experience affect your future goals?

I used to think that I wanted to work for a relatively small company in the future, but I realized while working with Parker Hannifin that I really like working with larger companies. I really liked the environment and different aspects of the corporate aura. I also learned that I really enjoy lean manufacturing and would like to maybe work in lean at some point during my career.

How did you find your internship?

I found my internship on Handshake! I'm very grateful for that awesome resource and the way it allows us to connect with employers.

How did this internship experience contribute to your growth?

I learned a lot about injection molding, tool design, and CAD during my internship. I also grew a lot in my professional communication skills.