Alright everyone, I don’t know where the time went, but it is officially my last day. It could be tomorrow, but I worked ten hours this week so i wouldn’t have to come in tomorrow. So, i just did the security clearance jig and handed in my badge all of the highly classified materials and information **cough** lol, but seriously, i’m done. I’m not gonna lie, I’m excited to go back to school just because it’s so much easier. Only 4 or five hours of class and homework is a kicker, but i’ll do homework instead of a 45 minute drive everyday. Well, that’s all i really have to say and i’m not sure if i’m gonna come back or not yet. Who knows? Anyway, it’s been fun talking to all of you and I hope i hoped someone in some way to discover something they didn’t know or give them some insight into my co-op experience. Have a great life and maybe i’ll see you around, although we won’t know it. In the words of a once great man “Later on…”
Hey everybody,
So, I am at work right now and in between work I figured I would write a quick post on my current happenings. Only two more weeks left and I’m not gonna lie, I can’t wait. I like the whole “no homework” thing, but this job just was not for me. If there is one thing I will take away from this job experience…besides the excellent pay 
…it would be that I learned what I don’t want to do for the rest of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I like everyone and their personalities and the location and all that jazz, but I don’t really care for sitting in a cubicle all day. I’m the type of person who likes to be kept busy and not just filing paperwork and running over schematics busy. I actually realized that I might want to get a co-op job next time in a power plant or in a consumer electronics research & development firm. I think that would be sweet, to go to work and play with gadgets all day and think outside the box to make them better, faster, and smaller. I’m the type of guy who goes on bestbuy.com and researches every single brand and type of something before buying it. I love doing that and learning about new technologies so I think getting a future co-op position in a company like Sony or Dell would be very interesting and fun. Well, as for now, I am working off and on and I will talk to you one last time next week on my last day. Have good new years everyone!!
Later on…
Merry Christmas Everyone!
The semester is over so co-op is technically over, but since I like it so much I am working up until the start of spring 08. Getting back in the school routine is going to be tough. I love working everyday and being part of the plant, so giving that up in a couple weeks will be hard.
Some of the stuff I’ve been doing lately: updating the equipment database, working on shut down procedures, established a new communication policy (with the EHS engineer), still working on the on site nitrogen generation, helped with the design of a new lab for a new plant in india, gave the new vp of our division the basics on composite polymers, and lots of other little things here and there.
At our plant, we collect toys for a local orginzation that distributes them to poor families in the area and I was able to go over and help them organize the toys and pick up 29 turkeys and 60 dozen eggs. It was really rewarding because there are so many unfortunate families in the south philly area and knowing you are helping almost 60 families is so awesome. I learned how important community is no matter where you work. It also made me appreciate how fortunate I am at Widener and on co-op.
Later.
Hey guys,
So I’ve got less than a month left. This whole experience has flown by so quick and I can’t believe it’s almost over. Well, today is my office’s Christmas party and we’re gonna have it at the Cheesecake Factory, mmmm… lol. I’m getting the tacos which should be amazing, plus there was a $15.00 allowance for your meal so my meal was virtually free, just paid for a drink. So work has still been good, more work as i’m about to leave because the engineers are first getting used to asking me to do work for them. Two days ago I got to take a tour of CSEDS (Combat Systems Engineering Development Site). It was cool being able to see the equipment I’ve been running over and analyzing up close, running, and how it all connects. If I can give any advice, try to get a physical tour of your company’s manufacturing facility or power pant or just try and see something in person of what your making. It helps so much and gives you such a great perspective on what you are actually doing and how you can help the company better achieve their goals. Well, I’m about to go eat my Cheesecake Factory tacos…fo free…haha, but i will talk to you guys later on…only a couple more posts until i finish hear at LMCO.
Have a great Xmas everyone!!!
P.S. the title is referring to the fact that i couldn’t make it to work yesterday due to ice and I want to make up the time so i’m working 12 hours today, hence half a day(12) work day, unlike my usual 4 hour shifts on friday
alright, now, good bye all
So co-op is almost over, just about one month left. It has been a lot of fun and I am really going to miss going in to work everyday. There has been so much I have learned. A couple things I haven’t talked about:
People that aren’t my boss (or the guys in my office), like to stop and talk to me a lot. I have to explain to a lot of them that I go to widener and I am an engineering student. Sometimes though it seems like they are just dragging the conversation on to avoid getting back to work. ( I swear I have had to tell our painter that I go to widener at least 7 times) So, I have learned just to talk for a minute and then start getting back to whatever it was I was doing.
Another thing, is that there is a lot of people management involved with plant/process engineering, which is something I wasn’t ready for. The operators are basically doing what you tell them, and when something goes wrong, you are the one that has to fix it. Basically, you have to make sure these guys are taking there time and doing there job. So its not just book smarts.
Well, I am getting ready for school again and trying to have a lot of fun at this last month of work. Take it easy.
Hey Everyone
This co-op is going so fast. I mean we have been here for almost 4 months, and it felt like I just started. Although I like it here at Turner, I am really looking forward to going back to school and learning some new things. I hope that my next co-op will be as good as this one. I having completly finished all my shopping for Christmas and just have to sit back and wait for it to come. I love watching Christmas movies with my family every night on “25 days of Christmas”. At my work its been pretty slow the past two weeks but once again its almost time to do last months statements. I dont really look forward to that but its a job and it has to be done. Since my work is only open when the stock market is open we get a half day on the day before Christmas and off on Christmas. We get both days paid full, its awsome. Although, I wish I had off a whole month like the none co-op students have. Well I am going back to work. Hope everyone is having fun. Happy Holidays everyone.
Hey All,
It’s a half day again and it’s going really fast. I never thought I would have this much work to do. Right now, I am working under four senior engineers and they just keep throwing work at me, haha. I like it though because it makes time fly by. I just finished a job and it’s really satisfying to look at how I actually helped redesign and make the cruiser more efficient. There is a Christmas party on December 14th and that means free food, at least for me because the managers are paying for me. So, I’m excited about that. It should be fun because all of the engineers are really laid back and fun. One thing changed though recently and that has been my work shift. I now start at 9:00am and work until 6:00pm. It is sooo much nicer starting two hours later, it makes the day go even faster when your not tired all the time. Either way, I’m busy at work now and I’m happy. Well, I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving (kind of late, but better late than never) and I will talk to yall later, peace
So It feels like just yesterday I was starting at Ashland and not knowing anything. Now, here I am almost four months into it. Some of the main things that I have been getting to do lately are: doing drawings for some new design for our fall protection, working with our controlling device Delta-V, looking at trends for past data and things. I have loved this co-op because I get to go out in the plant and work with the actual equipment, like the reactors, pipes, valves and fittings. It’s so cool to mix the theory with the actual. Seeing the drawings and then going out into the plant and seeing the actual thing has been pretty nice.
One thing my plant is big on is safety. If you work in any kind of manufacturing process or plant then you’ll probably need steel toe shoes, which you might wanna get before you start because they hurt before you break them. Also, the safety training i have had to do is alot, even though it’s really easy.
Another thing they emphasize is teamwork and groups and comittees for the most random things. Luckily, I don’t have to be on any because I heard they are boring. Seeing the reality of engineering has been fun so far. I’m happy with this co-op. Hope everyone else is having fun. Later.
Hello
Well it is another Monday and I dont have to much to do at work. My co-workers are keeping me a little busy by doing all their scanning when I dont have too much to do. But know I am almost finished all the scanning and hope they give me something else to do. I got off work on Thursday and had a half of day on Friday. I got up at 3:45am on Black Friday and went shopping until 7:00am, then I went to work. I was really tired that day. I almost have all my Holiday shopping done. I just need to buy some stuff for my future father in law. I talked to my employer about doing my second co-op with Turner and we are going to sit down this week and talk about different options. I am really happy and hope I can work here again, as long as they give me more work. Well it is almost my lunch so I better be heading off. Have fun Holiday shopping everyone.
Hey everyone
Its that time again(the end of the month) and I am once again starting to get really busy. Although, being busy makes the time go by a lot faster. I cant wait till next we because it will be Thanksgiving. We have off on thanksgiving day and only work from 8am-1pm on Friday. We also get paid for two full days. I am really enjoying my co-op but I also miss going to school. I already signed up for my classes and cant wait until we start. I am trying to get a dorm room with one of my friends but since there are limited rooms it will be hard. I keep learing different things everyday during my job. I like to go around and ask everyone what they are doing. Its great working in a smaller company because I go and talk to the CEO and the CFO everyday. Well I dont have much to say today. Have fun everyone and if I dont get to post next week HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
