Name: Daniel Kozlowski
Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Schneider Electric
Position Title: Sales Intern
Major(s)/Minor(s): Chemical Engineering
Expected Graduation Year: 2019
Briefly describe your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, and assignments.
I interned at Critical Systems by Schneider Electric.The work I did there involved manufacturing control panels for building automation systems,HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems, and security and monitoring systems. During my internship, I made many panels for a large contract with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as smaller jobs for the Carol County Courthouse and office complexes in Washington, D.C.
Describe the process of obtaining your internship, research, or co-op opportunity.
I got really lucky. I had no idea about this internship opportunity until an employee, who my father knew, mentioned that there were some openings for summer internships. After I found out, I immediately submitted my resume and was soon contacted for a phone interview. I was actually in the middle of my UMBC orientation when I got a call back, saying that I got the job.
What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization/company?
Critical Systems has a very friendly office environment. A lot of the other interns and employees are UMBC alumni, so I felt at home pretty quickly. They treat interns like actual employees, and my duties consisted of actual involvement and contribution to real engineering projects. I was involved with manufacturing, but there were plenty of other opportunities. Some interns did estimating, while others did actual designing of the panels.
How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
With Maryland weather being so unpredictable, the HVAC panels I have made are going to be making quite an impact for the residents of numerous office buildings. When it's a humid 98 degrees or dry 15 degrees and they walk into a building that's a moderate 70 degrees, they'll know who to thank.
What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?
If an opportunity presents itself, don't put it off. Keep your resume updated and be ready to send it out at a moment's notice. Also be sure to document the work you do and the experiences you have at your internships, you can use them later when applying for jobs.
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