Tyler Manning

What motivated you to apply for Co-op/Internship

I really wanted to get some applicable engineering experience and get a taste of what life as an engineer is really like I wanted to gain some experience in my field of study before I graduated in order to help me figure out where I would like to work once I finished

Can you describe your position in a few sentences?

Every day was different.  The only thing I was certain to do every day was to prepare the previous day's production numbers to discuss during the morning production meeting. The rest of my day would be different every day, but always busy. Some days I would be at my desk preparing and updating drawings, others I would be on the production floor performing time studies to help determine where we could improve productivity. On rare occasions, I would start the day at my desk working and shortly in, get called downstairs where I would spend the rest of the day helping solve a maintenance issue. Overall, my position provided me with a wide variety of experience within my field.

Did you receive training to perform your engineering duties? Please Explain.

Yes, during my first couple weeks I was trained on the operations of most of the equipment in the plant and how to build the product. My duties required me to do things that may affect how those machines are operated and the best way to do that is to get some hands-on experience with machines.

What was your work atmosphere like? (flexibility, formality, team-centric, supportive)

At Weber manufacturing, I knew everyone in the building. It's a very friendly and personal work atmosphere, I even know what cars most of them drive.

What new skills were you able to learn/develop during your Co-op/Internship?

CNC operation/programming, prototyping, technical drawings, research and development, quality control, quoting machines and deciding on vendors, communication and many more than I can list in a short space.

How did your experience compare with your expectations?

My experience exceeded my expectations, I never thought that I would leave my internship with such a wide array of experiences.

What was your proudest moment? 

I developed a fixture for trimming fibreglass skins on the CNC table. This fixture reduced the number of operators required, increased cycle times, increased the quality of the cut and reduced the mess made while processing the skin.

What advice would you offer to current students thinking about pursuing a Co-op/Internship?

Apply to everything, and don't be afraid to leave the GTA. If you’re not able to get a co-op, then work a summer labour job to get some hands-on experience. In a field where everyone can do the math, being able to use your hands may set you apart. Working hard during a summer job also gives you a good perspective that you won't get once you're working in your field.