https://www.emerson.com/en-us/esg

Emerson

Supply Chain Co-Op

January - April 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

The people were extremely helpful not only in helping me to do my job, but also in helping me to learn about the supply chain field. The most helpful improvement in my skills would have to be Microsoft Excel, my skills within that field improved greatly. I mostly worked on two projects, the first being working with my co-worker on organizing our inventory system by using a new software. The other project was working with a different co-worker, along with many outside suppliers, on managing our incoming inventory orders.

What I wish was different

I wish it was a little bit more geared towards engineering, but that is most likely my fault for not asking enough questions in the interview process. It did have a lot of useful information, but it just didn't always tie back to engineering. My first project was helping to engineer a new system for our inventory. However, my second project was more geared towards supply chain and inventory ordering.

Advice

Take a chance on this position. Whether geared towards engineering or not, I learned many valuable lessons. The people here made it their priority to help me learn about their side of business, and I am grateful for that. Also, my skills for very important aspects of business were improved greatly.
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Embedded software intern

July - December 2022 • Eden Prairie, MN

What I liked

Trust invested in me.

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

Do extra research before asking questions. And ask many questions.
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Product Management Intern

May - August 2023 • Shakopee, MN

What I liked

I liked the collaborative environment and support from team members.

What I wish was different

I wish there would be more clarity on expectations and overall projects that the Intern would do when joining.

Advice

Take your time and use everything as a learning opportunity. People are there to help you succeed so try your hardest and don't be afraid to ask for help.
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Mechanical Engineering Co-op

January - August 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

My first term was spent working with packaging team and I really liked all of the time in the lab testing products. It was a lot more hands on than what you normally get in classes or working at a desk. I would say that I spent at least 50% of my term in the lab for the term. A big portion of my term was about improving sustainability in packaging, especially returnable packaging, so I would recommend it for anyone interested in that. My second term I was working in the refrigeration group with project engineering. This term was a little bit more of a desk job, but I still had the chance to go out to the many different lab spaces and see what was happening with my different projects. Both terms at Emerson, if I was ever bored, I could ask for more work and there would always be something to do.

What I wish was different

Some of my projects got to be repetitive, it was a lot of the same stuff every day. If you find yourself in a similar situation during your term, do not be afraid to ask for some different work, most, if not all of the managers want you to enjoy your time there with the company as much as possible. I was also in an area without a lot of other co-ops, so my only opportunities to connect were the social events. Emerson has a way now to connect to people to create roommate groups for relocating, or even just groups to hang out with. The summer rotations are always very short and rushed compared to a fall or spring rotation. I had joined one of the co-op planning committees in the spring and decided to join the other option for the summer and it did become challenging trying to make sure I completed the work that I was being paid to do on time, while not allowing the events I was working on the committee to fall apart. I would definitely try to not over extend myself with work.

Advice

Emerson offers a lot of events for employees. I was a part of the social committee and I was able to connect with people I wouldn't have met otherwise. If you like planning events you should volunteer for the committees as well. You should go to the events planned as well, they're a lot of fun and you get to talk with all the other interns about what they're working on. Make sure to ask plenty of questions. Most of the managers would prefer more questions then you working on something for hours, just to have to tell you to redo it because you didn't understand what exactly they were looking for. Also, don't hesitate to ask your manager for some more challenging work, even if it might take you a bit longer, it is a great opportunity to grow your skills.
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System/ Project Engineer

January 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really enjoyed the friendliness and helpfulness of everyone at Emerson. I was never afraid to ask questions or ask for help when needed. Additionally, I felt that my team gave me a significant amount of responsibility and meaningful projects. Never felt like just a co-op really made me feel like I was part of the team. I got to work on many different project from qualifying a supplier, helping with a part quality problem, and testing a fixture for testing.

What I wish was different

Getting to travel to other plants and being able to see how other process are done.

Advice

I would recommend to anyone doing a co-op term to ask questions. Everyone at Emerson was very friendly and was more than willing to take the time to make sure I understood how something worked.
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Manufacturing Engineering Co-Op

January - May 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

The projects given to me in the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering unit mattered whose importance I enjoyed greatly as gave me a better sense of the demands placed on manufacturing engineers. One project I did was design and do mechanical drawings of a a set of "nests" that would hold specific tools on the manufacturing line. These tools were brand new and when I got the project it was not particularly urgent and with the other projects I was doing it was on the backburner. However as the time for the line to open got closer, I felt the need to get it done and I had to prioritize it while still finding time to do the other projects. Despite the element of pressure which was never too great mind you, I felt the experience really gave me a sense of the importance of time management crucial to engineering.

What I wish was different

Over the course of my Co-Op I did a lot of design of various rigs that helped operators work efficiently on the line. It gave me a lot of good experience with their cad software NX and with engineering drawing standards. However, I wish I got to work more with the layouts of the manufacturing lines themselves, something I knew a lot of the fulltime engineers around me had worked on in the past. Unfortunately for when I was there, they were in between designing new lines meaning there was not really any work regarding the layouts of manufacturing lines I could be useful on. There were some stuff I could do that was good for a Co-Op like cutting out 1:1 scale cutouts of machines so they could play around with machines in different locations. If you want to Co-Op as manufacturing engineering, your mileage may vary depending when you are there, because as I understand it, when a new line is being designed, there is plenty of work to go around.

Advice

Besides the one time I was a little crunched, the truth of the matter is there will still be a large chunk of time when you are not doing much as a Co-Op. This does not mean its your fault; its just that the engineer you are with may not have a whole lot of Co-Op suitable work or is too busy to make find Co-Op suitable stuff. I was lucky and had an amazing manager who gave me a good amount of stuff to do. Despite this, there was still a fair amount of time with not a whole lot to do. So, if you take Co-Op at Emerson or really at any other company for that matter, take your time to do good work, play around with the software you are given, speak with the other engineers about their experiences. Take the time to do these things and expand your appreciation and knowledge of your field because there will be plenty of time for it. I has some amazing conversations with the senior engineers because I took the time to listen to them. Please do the same.
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Mechanical Engineer Co-Op

January - May 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I liked how I received lots of work to do throughout the duration of my co-op. I got to design many parts, test them, and then analyze the data afterward. I also liked how the co-op program was set up. There were many resources to go to when I needed help and everyone was happy to do so.

What I wish was different

I wish that I had gotten to do more meaningful work. I felt like some of my projects were overlooked, although lots of the data I analyzed were for an important project. I also wish that there was a housing stipend for students at UD. It was around a 40-minute there and back each day so I wish I could have lived closer.

Advice

One piece of advice I have is to ask as many questions as you can. Asking questions is the best way to learn in that type of environment. Another piece of advice is to make as many connections as possible to enhance your experience. This will make your job a lot easier, as there are a lot of people who are happy to help.
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Mechanical Engineering Intern

January 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

As a first time Co-op, the first thing I really appreciated about working at Emerson was the inviting work environment. The engineers and other professionals I worked with made my experience smoother than I imagined, and there are numerous networking opportunities to meet other co-ops and people in different departments. As far as work goes, the first two weeks were slow, and I was concerned that I would be bored all semester. However, my workload picked up after that, and I feel like I got great experience doing actual work an engineer would do. It was a good balance of challenging and rewarding with a decent amount of other random and easier tasks as well. A lot of my time was also spent learning about how they do things there. Examples of a few of the things I worked on in my first term (January-May) include: - Writing product test sheets for lab use, troubleshooting when things failed testing, reviewing test data, reporting back to the engineer, etc. - I lead a new component qualification program that involved procurement, build, testing, analysis, etc. - Writing requests for engineering services -Co-op group project to qualify a new refrigerant to go in products I also got the chance to go on a work trip to another Emerson plant in Missouri, which was a great learning experience and opportunity to see a high-volume plant.

What I wish was different

The way engineers in my department gave work to the co-ops was a 'whiteboard' (excel sheet) with 'sticky-notes' listing the project they needed help with/ the task. This system makes it a little difficult to know what the project entails, especially when you first start out. Sometimes, not always, this was a downside for me because you are a little limited on what kind of projects and work you get to do as you are supposed to pick up these tags in chronological order or by urgency. I also loved this system at times too, but I could see some people not enjoying it.

Advice

I would suggest asking as many questions as possible early on into your co-op, especially if it will be your first co-op/ internship experience. There are many things that would have been helpful to know earlier on into my co-op, however, they didn't even occur to me as it was my first time working in an engineering environment. So, in your down time (first couple weeks), I suggest utilizing all the learning documents your company has. Forming good relationships with the engineers and co-ops you are working with will also make the learning process and your works tasks much easier.
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Advanced Manufacturing Co-op

August - December 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I liked the work they assigned. I was able to get involved in a lot of different and complex projects. My managers were very knowledgeable and treated me like an engineer. He was able to accelerate my learning and become a better engineer. This was my first co-op term and I know for sure engineering is the way to go. I am even going back in the summer. I liked Emerson as a company.

What I wish was different

I wish I had less of a commute. My commute was 55 minutes and it took a toll on me and my car. I wish I had more time, not just 3 months. Due to my semesters, I was not able to do a 6 month co-op term, but I wish I could have. Overall I liked everything and would not change a thing. Emerson is awesome and more people should apply.

Advice

Ask as many questions as possible. Use the KISS method. Communicate and collaborate with others. Even if they are outside your department. Ask for more work. This sounds weird, but trust me they like the work ethic. Do not let experience dictate what you can and can not do.
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Mechanical Engineering Co-op

August - December 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really liked the people I met at Emerson. Everyone, including my manager, other engineers I did work for, lab technicians I interacted with, etc. were kind and welcoming, and always made me feel comfortable despite being new. I like that I had the opportunity to choose what kind of projects I wanted to work on, so I did things for many other engineers and not just my boss, which helped vary the types of things I did and kept things interesting. I also liked the events that we did outside of work, like co-op social events and employee appreciation day.

What I wish was different

Living in Dayton, the commute to Sidney was definitely tough some days. If I worked as a co-op in Sidney again, I'd probably want to live in the housing Emerson offers for co-ops near work. That being said, it's not necessarily a dealbreaker unless you absolutely don't want to drive that much. Another thing that could have been different is that I didn't know exactly what I was doing until I started, nor did I interview with my manager, so it was just a slightly unanticipated process, which wasn't negative, just not what I expected.

Advice

My main piece of advice is to keep an open mind and do your best. When you are an intern/co-op at any company, you might be put in a position or have to do projects that aren't necessarily related to something you're interested in or what you thought you'd be doing. Still, you should always put 100% effort into it and remember that it is an opportunity to learn and show that you're valuable. No matter where you work, and no matter how much you like or don't like it, it's important to leave a good impression.
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Quality, Safety, & Sustainability Co-op

January - May 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really enjoyed the larger projects that eventually culminated. I got to work on the Emerson SIdney Treasure Hunt to save on electricity and natural gas. This mapping has us scheduled to save on over 250K annually. I also enjoyed how everything was meaningful in the end. Even though some things seemed like busy work at the time, eventually I saw the value in everything I did.

What I wish was different

One thing that was somewhat difficult was my split roles- since I am quality, safety, and sustainability. It was sometimes difficult to manage my time between all of them. However, they are now separating my role into two different positions. Another issue I found was the time allocations. I found myself very, very busy at times and with little to do every once in a while. This is because a lot of the stuff I could do was time based. Lastly, I wish I had done an earlier co-op with Emerson, so I could have had another term.

Advice

One major piece of advice would be how helpful it is to just communicate with others. I learned that it makes the days a lot more structured and easier. Everyone- at least in my experience- has been open to answering all questions. Furthermore, I gained more experience just by talking with others; I only got into sustainability, because someone who previously was not my boss asked me if I was interested in it. Overall, I advise to take as man opportunities as you can during your experience. One other piece of advice was the co-ops. Emerson offers so many, so be sure to choose one that you will enjoy.
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Embedded Systems Software Developer

June 2022 • Eden Prairie, MN

What I liked

Help, the freedom, time/patience and space.

What I wish was different

Shorter trip there!!

Advice

Ask questions, and make it your own.
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Cybersecurity Co-op

May - August 2022 • Baton Rouge, LA

What I liked

Emerson allowed me to stay in Baton Rouge while gaining valuable cybersecurity experience. I was able to work with real-world cybersecurity solutions and interact with experienced engineers.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Supply Chain Intern

January - May 2021 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

The freedom

What I wish was different

More structure

Advice

Be creative
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Engineering Intern

May - August 2022 • Natchitoches, LA

What I liked

The people I worked with

What I wish was different

Location

Advice

Be more mentally prepared
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Engineering Intern/Co-op

May 2022 • Boulder, CO

What I liked

The people at Micro Motion create a very inclusive and welcoming environment. I feel like I was able to easily connect with others outside of my department through company volunteering and events. I liked how my projects were meaningful to my team and department. My projects provided challenges that tested my problem solving, collaboration, and creativity. I liked how everyone in my department including directors were able to provide useful resources to my learning.

What I wish was different

In terms of this specific intern/co-op program, I wish that there were more events provided to the interns earlier in the term, so that we could get exposed to the whole company culture earlier. This program did not do any evaluations and I would've found a midterm or final evaluation helpful. With a midterm evaluation, I feel like I could get a grasp of what I should change and what I should continue to do through the rest of my term. Other than that, I really enjoyed every minute of my internship/co-op.

Advice

Make the effort to get involved with company groups like ERGs. I was able to build many connections and jump on unique projects because I was able to interact and join these groups. Ask lots of questions to truly understand the purpose of your project and you will find your projects even more enjoyable. Having this good understanding of your project will help wow your directors and managers when presenting.
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Electrical Engineering Co-op

May - August 2022 • Rockford, IL

What I liked

One of my favorite aspects of this co-op rotation was the opportunity I had to work with many brilliant engineers. Each engineer I worked with had knowledge and skill far beyond mine, and each one was happy to spare some of their expertise with me and help me grow as an engineer. Another thing I like about my experience was the level of independence I was given. Besides some of the most vital business responsibilities and skill differences, I was treated like another engineer. I was given a task and trusted to come up with an effective plan of action, and the most I was managed was checking in every now and then and checking my results, perfect for a self-motivated person like myself.

What I wish was different

Although my experience was great, the co-op program can stand to grow still. The co-op program at my location is still just beginning, and as such there is not much of a co-op student community here yet. Another thing to mention is that at times there is little to do. Once again though, this is likely due to how early the program still is, as many of the engineers are independent as well. Unless you are self-motivated and know how to keep yourself busy, you may find yourself with a lot of free time. Just make sure to be around the engineers and show you're willing to be there.

Advice

Making sure to show that you actively want to be there is crucial in any role as a student. Try not to just sit in your desk all day but walk around the office and labs. Talk to everyone as much as you can to learn about what they're working on or just to see how they're doing. Be willing to learn and go out of your way to do so when appropriate. You're not only there to provide value to your company, but also to grow yourself.
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Engineering co-op

January - May 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I liked that the job kept me busy. There was always something to work on so it wasn't "boring". I also liked how my supervisor was flexible and trusting in my abilities as an engineering co-op. He allowed me to make mistakes but he was also supportive when and if I had any questions. I also really enjoyed that the job was collaborative with other departments. I got to experience first hand how important communication and teamwork played into an engineer's role.

What I wish was different

I was overall really happy with my experience. If I were to have to choose something that could've been different, I wish I could've learned how to use more equipment. I know this is usually reserved for returning co-ops but if I had the option, I would've taken on the challenge and tried to learn and do as much as possible. The lab that I worked in had a wide range of capabilities and I wish I would've had the opportunities to try even more new things. Seeing how much there actually was to learn just in the group I was working in made me extremely excited for my future career as a Chemical Engineer.

Advice

The biggest piece of advice I would share about my experience would be to not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I remember how intimidated I was my first week on the job and working with different chemicals and equipment. I knew that if I wanted to learn for myself, I just had to jump right in and try it. I would also say to be forgiving of yourself. Realizing that you will make mistakes on the job is part of the learning experience so I think it's important to not get down on yourself if you have to rerun a test on a sample. Also to prevent making "big" mistakes, ask a lot of questions!
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Engineering Co-op

January - April 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

Working for Emerson allowed me to gain a lot of industy experience which was very helpful for me. It was neat to see what I have been learning in my classes get applied in the real world. I enjoyed getting to work on my own projects and having a say in what I worked on. I also liked how meaningful and impactful the projects I worked on were. I could tell that the work I was doing was useful to the team I was working with,

What I wish was different

I had a really great experience for my first co-op at Emerson. I enjoyed the work that I did and the co-workers that were on my team. I am not really sure what I wish would have been different about my experience. Some days were slower than others, but that is just the nature of the work. Overall, I enjoyed my experience as a co-op at Emerson.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would share is to try and soak up as much information and experience as you can. Also do not be afraid to ask questions. There was so much to learn, and everyone was so willing to share their knowledge and experiences. It is okay to not know everything, and no one expects you too. Just go in with an open mindset and be eager to learn a lot of new things.
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Engineering Co-op

January 2022 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I really liked how I was given projects from multiple different engineers. This allowed me to get a broader understanding of the work done at Emerson than if I had only worked within my immediate group. I was given the opportunity to learn from the lab technicians as well and do hands on work with them which helped me learn a lot more about the machines I was engineering. I also liked how the engineers made an effort to give me meaningful work within the projects rather than giving me more menial tasks. This made me feel like I was a valued part of the team. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming from day one which made my experience really positive.

What I wish was different

I chose to live in Dayton for this co-op term which was difficult because of the long commute to Sidney. I had to wake up earlier and lost part of my evenings because of the drive. However, I don't think I would have chosen to move to Sidney knowing that it is a smaller town. I also wish I could apply to more specific positions as a co-op. As a mechanical engineer I had to apply to the mechanical engineering co-op position and then I was placed in a group. It would have been nice to apply to specific groups within mechanical engineering so that I could apply to the groups that interested me the most. However, I did end up happy in the group I was placed with.

Advice

Make the most of your experience. Try to meet as many of your coworkers as you can and get to know them because it makes the work a lot more fun. Also, get as involved as you can with co-op events, company events, and projects in general. The company makes an effort to schedule a lot of fun things but they are all optional. You will get so much more out of your experience if you choose to participate. Also, you can choose to only do what you are asked to do for projects but when you go above and beyond, asking questions and trying to understand more about the project and get more involved, you learn so much more and it's a lot more interesting.
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