My daughter and academics...need advice.

[HeavenlyOne]

Originally Posted by Mercy

I totally agree.

I say contact the college in your town and talk to someone about the interning opportunities they offer the students and MAKE an opportunity for her to get some hands on experience. Who knows...she could be the trail-blazer for a high school internship program and in 10 years there will be a scholarship named after her!

It helped me tremendously working in engineering internships throughout high school to know which field I wanted to go into. (I'm a Chemical Engineer) And with all my experience it was no problem getting internships while in college. By the time I graduated I had no problem getting a job....my problem was choosing between my offers!

What kind of job do you have? PM me if you wish, but I see this kind of job being something that she gets into. My brother is a chemical engineer (Master's level) but he's top cheese at the Anheiser-Busch plant in New Hampshire making mega bucks. I don't see my daughter doing that...LOL!

[Mercy]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

What kind of job do you have? PM me if you wish, but I see this kind of job being something that she gets into. My brother is a chemical engineer (Master's level) but he's top cheese at the Anheiser-Busch plant in New Hampshire making mega bucks. I don't see my daughter doing that...LOL!

I currently work in the (Natural) Gas Compression and Refrigeration industry....project managing the design and production of "skids" for our end users to treat the natural gas for use/sale in a variety of ways. I get to do everything from the design of the equipment, working with the draftsmen for layout, customer interface (travel!!), interface and problem solving during assembly, to helping out if there are hiccups during startup and commissioning of the plant. Right now I do ALL engineering (more than just the "Chemical" design....I have a hand in some mechanical, electrical, and control engineering too....lots to learn everyday!!)

I have worked all over the place though...

I started out as an intern with GM in a Powertrain plant...more on the electrical/controls engineering side. Diagnostics of the control systems of the cars (when I was 16)

Next I did an internship with a cancer foundation...considered medicine for a while (when I was 17)

Senior year in HS I worked for Ford Motor company, first in a plant where they made the windshields and tempered glass for the mustangs (the afternoons of my 2nd semester of SY), then I transferred to the distribution plant of those same materials for the summer to have a taste of sales and management of product.

In college I summer interned rather than co-op because I had a wreck my freshman year that caused me to miss a year and I didnt want to take that long to graduate.

So the 1st internship I was in this iddy biddy town in Tx at a 3M Production plant. Next, I went to MN and did some research on materials for 3M, then to Ca in a 3M pharmecuticals (sp?) plant. That one was the best! Notice they were all with 3M? Yep, after the first internship I HATED the location so badly they gave me some scholarship money to stay in there program. I also got to pick my next assignments.

After college I went to TN and worked for the government doing production research in the nuclear weapons industry. After 5 years I moved to Houston and started work in the Oil, Gas, and Chemical industry in process design, which opened the door to the job I have now.

My internships helped me determine my likes and dislikes so I didnt spend time job hopping after college cuz that doesn't look good on a resume. Even though I changed locations after college, I was with the same employer for 8 years.

I love what I do now the best. Knowing what I know now, I recommend (when in college) trying to get internships/co-ops with EPC companies (Engineering, Purcurement, Construction) because you really get to not only use your engineering skills, but learn across the board into other disciplines.