Natalie Anderson is a Mechanical Engineering Student Apprentice. She interned at Ball Aerospace during summer 2022.
Natalie Anderson (left)
Where did you intern and what was exciting about that opportunity?
I have applied to Ball for the last few years and was very excited to finally get an internship there! Aside from the prestige associated with working at Ball, I was really impressed by the culture. Everybody was very friendly and the intern program was well-coordinated. There were tons of opportunities for mentorship and I learned a lot.
What kinds of projects did you have a chance to work on over the summer?
I worked on projects associated with manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, and work center communication. Working as a communication liaison for the work centers helped me learn a lot about how engineers communicate in the real world and the standards they use. I learned lots of terminology (and acronyms!) in a short period.
DId you have any "aha!" moments when you realized that you could use an equation or skill you'd learned in class?
I wish I had paid more attention during my manufacturing class, especially the lean unit because that was really applicable! Also, most engineering drawings in the real world are a lot more complicated than what we cover in the beginner CAD class, but I am glad I had that background for sure.
What advice would you have for other students interested in working or interning in a related field?
The reason I got this job is because I stood out as a unique candidate. It wasn't my GPA or my campus research job that was asked about in the interview - my manager asked me all about my job at Jiffy Lube! So don't be afraid to pursue interesting avenues and include them in your resume. Showcase who you are, what makes you different and what you are passionate about.