Copeland

Mechanical Engineering co-op

September 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I liked working with other engineers to help them with their projects as a co-op and making relationships with the team.

What I wish was different

Nothing really

Advice

Meet as many new people you can and build best relationships

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Plant Support

January - August 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

The community feel of the company. I started with the company as Emerson in January and seeing the company become a solo Company was amazing. The full-time employees had so much excitement. Getting to work with many different types of groups. With being in plant support helping the plants with any problems.

What I wish was different

Coming into the summer semester it was hard for me to start the bigger projects like I did in January. Other than that my team was great to work with. I enjoyed all the experiences I had during my term.

Advice

Always ask questions everyone wants to help and see you learn. Talk to the full time employee some have great advice and experience. With being in the engineering field and just life in general. Get out and talk to different departments to network.

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Project Engineering Co-Op

May - August 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

As a Project Engineering Co-Op, I enjoyed working on the eponymous projects for new compressor development. This included working with the lab and other Engineers to write and interpret a variety of Industry Standard tests for new models of compressors. I also was called in on occasion to assist the design team to do limited research in finding standardized parts to cut down on expensive custom machined parts for new parts and assemblies. Lastly, I also did a data review of previous compressor testing to determine the degree of nonconformity in certain parts and the effect they had on performance.

What I wish was different

This is the second of my two Co-Op terms at this company. My first was when it was Emerson Climate Technologies. Blackstone Inc. acquired it from Emerson and it was renamed Copeland in June. In my first Co-Op term, I was a manufacturing engineering co-op and desired a 2nd term in the same position. Due to the position having already been reserved for the Summer Term, I chose Project Engineering for my second term. I do not regret my choice of department by any means, but I do wish I could have done a second term in manufacturing engineering so as to deepen my understanding and involvement of area I wish to continue in career-wise. Otherwise, it was and always will be a fantastic experience.

Advice

This is more generalized Co-Op advice but nevertheless applies especially to a large and concentrated engineering company such as Copeland. Even if you have good Co-Op managers who will keep you supplied with work, there will always be some down-time. Rather than waste that time on phones or staring blankly at a computer, use the time do the following: 1. Be intentional and deliberate with your existing work so as to explore and understand it. Taking the time to not rush and make sure your work is good will improve both your standing as a Co-Op and help with long-term retention of engineering concepts. 2. Talk with your co-workers. Take the time to speak with and learn from full-time engineers or even other Co-Ops. It is a great opportunity to learn career stories of other engineers so as to inform yourself of potential career paths as well as to learn and retain career advice.

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Chemistry Co-Op

May - August 2023 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed all of the hands-on work in the lab I got to do. On the chemistry side I was able to do some Level 1 Oil Analysis, which included titrations, moisture analysis, and viscosity measurements. On the polymer side, I was able to do refrigerant extractions and rapid gas decompressions. Because of these activities, I gained valuable experience in the lab environment. Besides the hands-on work, I also liked that Copeland offers some great incentive programs for their employees, including their recognition program (called Energize) which rewards people for going above and beyond their normal job scope, as well as their health program (called Vitality) which rewards people for exercising or doing other health related activities. In both of these programs, employees can earn points which can then be redeemed online for various items. Lastly, I really enjoyed working with and learning from the people in my department; they are all great people.

What I wish was different

I wish there was a more consistent workload on the chemistry side. In the polymer lab, I almost always knew what I was expected to do for that day when I walked in the lab. In the chemistry lab, that wasn’t really the case. The workload kind of ebbed and flowed, and the types of tasks I was assigned to varied too much. I also wish that I could’ve done more work with the Senior Analytical Chemist.

Advice

Learn from the full-time people you are working with. They have many years of experience and are often happy to share with you their practical knowledge. If you feel like something isn’t clear, slow down and ask for clarification. There are various hazards in the lab and it is better to be safe than sorry. Being detail oriented is the name of the game when you are working in the lab, so just be careful about everything you do.

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