I would definitely recommend researching companies you're interested in before going to career fairs. Also, always make sure to follow up with the recruiter afterwards and thank them for their time.
Name: Christian Maiorana
Major: Computer Engineering
Employer: Rovisys Building Technologies
Location: Bristow, VA
How did you find the internship/co-op? What was the interview process like? I found my internship through the fall UMD career fair. The interview process involved a behavioral interview with the regional manager and project manager, whom I would eventually work under.
What have been the most interesting aspects of your internship? I had the opportunity to work on a data center. I got to see all of the different components that go into a building like that, such as the cooling systems, the power systems, and the network systems. I was also flown out to where they build and program the power systems before they are shipped to the construction site.
What campus activities or courses do you think helped you, or would have helped you, with this internship? The most helpful courses to me were electrical circuits, physics, and object oriented coding. These courses provided me with the background needed to learn everything on the job very quickly.
How would you describe the company culture? What was the most helpful thing your supervisor did to make you feel comfortable at the organization? The company culture was very friendly and cooperative. If I ever had a question, I could ask any of the people in the office and they would happily help. My supervisor would get everyone together to play games like darts or to get lunch together. This helped everyone become more comfortable and friendly with each other.
Was there diversity among your colleagues within the department and throughout your internship/co-op experience? There was a lot of diversity in terms of ethnicity. However, there was only one woman in the office out of the 10 people there. I know more women were working in the main offices, but I doubt that the ratio of men to women was much better.
Did the internship provide a solid education in professional ethics? If so, how? Yes it provided a solid education in professional ethics. Before I could start working on projects, I had to complete their onboarding training, and one of the main sections was related to ethics and company policies.
How have your career or academic goals changed as a result of this internship experience? My career goals have changed since working there. I have learned that I am not interested in work that requires me to move every few years to follow the new projects. I have also learned that I am interested in a lot of the components that I worked with.
What advice would you give other UMD engineering students seeking an internship or co-op position? I would definitely recommend researching companies you're interested in before going to career fairs. Also, always make sure to follow up with the recruiter afterwards and thank them for their time.
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