Co-op Stories: Jasmine Andrade

By: Jasmine Andrade

Jasmine is a Wentworth Junior studying Interdisciplinary Engineering concentrating in Manufacturing Engineering and minoring in Industrial Design & Business Management, with a concentration in Project Management. She recently completed her second co-op at Amazon Robotics (AR) as the Technical Operations Co-op, Process Engineer. Jasmine generously shared her story with us:

Jasmine at Amazon Robotics

Her career goal is to become a Product Design Engineer or Innovation and Design Engineer, so she chose this combination of concentrations and minors to make her a well-rounded engineer and to meet her career goal.

“In a Product Design Engineer role, it is important to have skills in Design/Innovation (Industrial Design Minor), Research & Development (Interdisciplinary Engineering) and Manufacturing/Process/Industrial Engineering (Manufacturing Engineering Concentration). You must also have the ability for negotiating and communicating with internal and external business partners, contractors and vendors (Business Management minor). The variety of knowledge and perspectives that my concentration and minor provides allows me to continuously look at a problem through a multidisciplinary lens.”

  • Tell us about your second co-op at Amazon Robotics: 

The Technical Operations Co-op is responsible for delivering and supporting operations and production projects by collaborating with Amazon Robotics Tech Ops Engineering process owners and other cross-functional team members.

  • What interested you in this company/the role?

The culture of Amazon, the peculiar and eccentric ways of sustaining their mission to being “earth’s most customer-centric company for four primary customer sets: consumers, sellers, enterprises, and content creators” is what stood out. Amazon gives you the freedom to think a little differently and to embrace differences. Amazon works to avoid being bland, “big homogeneous, corporate Borg” and aims to stay transparent in what the company needs to continuously work on and improve.

The role stood out because it was different from the my previous role as a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) Manufacturing Engineer at Raytheon IDS, the Process Engineering positions would provide me with a new skillset and also build on what I learned as an SMT Engineer. The position description also starts with “Are you inspired by invention? Is problem solving through teamwork in your DNA? Do you like the idea of seeing how your work impacts the bigger picture? Answer yes to any of these and you’ll fit right in here at Amazon Robotics (AR). We are a smart team of doers that work passionately to apply cutting edge advances in robotics and software to solve real-world challenges that will transform our customers’ experiences in ways we can’t even image yet. We invent new improvements every day. We are Amazon Robotics and we will give you the tools and support you need to invent with us in ways that are rewarding, fulfilling and fun.” The statement provided before you even look at the position description draws you into the possibilities and potential with AR.

  • What was your search process like? And how did you prepare for your interviews?

My search process included applying to 30+ co-op positions that fit my interest and skill set. I also reached out to my LinkedIn network for positions that I was interested in. I utilized the CO-OPS + CAREERS interviews questions list and wrote out all my questions for my on the phone interview for reference. For the in person interview, Amazon provided an outline for potential questions and the format for how they “grade” or determine if you fit culture and position. I wrote out all those questions and practiced answering them out-loud by myself and did a practice interview with friends.

  • While on co-op, what project(s) were you a part of, or something that you worked on, that has inspired you? 

One of the project I had the pleasure to work on was for “a new, fully-electric delivery system – Amazon Scout – designed to safely get packages to customers using autonomous delivery devices” (https://blog.aboutamazon.com/transportation/meet-scout). I worked on preparing work instructions and set up for the alpha build. Through this process I was able to see how important the Process Engineering and Technical Operation is to Amazon and how we function cross- functionally with other divisions in Amazon to sustain the mission of being a customer-centric company. This project encouraged me to “Think Big”, “Insist on the Highest Standards” and to “Deliver Results”. These principles are something that stood out within this project and motivated me to continue to develop these skills in the projects that followed.

  • Knowing what you know now, how will you approach your Fall co-op/co-op search differently?

My approach to applying for fall co-op is to find/apply for positions that I see myself transitioning into a full time role. In addition, look at the company culture, history and mission. I am differently more picky in selecting co-ops this semester because I want to make sure I am applying to a companies that I see myself at, long-term and will provide me what the skills I need to acquire to meet my career goal of being a Product Design Engineer.

  • What advice do you have for students who are interested in working for a company like Amazon Robotics?

Go for it! Don’t be afraid to be yourself in your interview, embrace your experiences and peculiar ways to engineering and design thinking. Learn and be curious about everything, commit to being a life-long learner and dive deep into understanding the problem before seeking a solution. Also, remember who your customer is and how your idea or solution will benefit them.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Jasmine! Be on the lookout for our next co-op feature. If you would like to share your co-op experience (positive or not-as-expected), or have any questions about the co-op process, please email us at coopsandcareers@wit.edu.

As always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office.

Summer 2019 Drop-In Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:00pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.

Delivering Your Professional Introduction

By: Kristen Eckman

What to Know
In a brief introduction, you should be able to sell your professional/personal qualities and describe the skills and services that you have to offer an employer.

Networking is an important piece of any job search. Preparing a professional introduction ahead of time will give you more confidence and will help you to be more successful in your networking.

A professional introduction is an opening statement that includes the type of role you are looking for, your skills and your related experience. Communicating your goals and key points in a clear, straightforward manner is very important. Do not assume people will understand what you want just by stating a job title or the name of a company. Once you have a professional introduction ready, you can tailor it to fit each situation you may find yourself in.

Professional Introduction Stock

You can use your professional introduction:

  • To network with colleagues, peers, or new contacts
  • When you are introducing yourself to potential employers
  • To answer the infamous “What are you doing after graduation?”/”How is your job search going?”

Guidelines

  • Be specific- communicate your focus and include your goals if possible
  • Tailor your introduction to the setting. Make it conversational and not too heavy on the content
  • Stand out from the crowd- let your unique skills and personality shine
  • Communicate enthusiastically!

What to include in your professional introduction

  • What are you looking for? (Describe a dream job, professional career field, fulfilling position)
  • Recent education and relevant experience
  • Areas of expertise/skills/accomplishments
  • Include words that emphasize your enthusiasm

What to Do
Choose a combination of the following components to create your introduction:

Greeting: Include your first and your last name.

Education: Specific program and when you graduated or anticipated to graduation date.

Experience: Related experience in the specific job you want. Be sure to mention your co-ops, class projects or personal projects.

Strengths: Skills you possess that are related to the qualifications of the position you want.

Accomplishments: Things you have accomplished that emphasize your strengths.

Professional Style: Personal traits and characteristics that describe how you perform your job.

Sample

Hello, my name is Sam Smith. I am a junior in the Business Management program at Wentworth Institute of Technology and I expect to graduate in August 2020. I have worked in H&R Block’s volunteer income tax assistance program for the past year and have gained limitless experience serving clients with great confidence. I am very interested in a Tax Assistant Co-op for fall 2019 at Jackson Hewitt. I have applied on your website and wondered if you can tell me more about your interviewing and hiring process?

Develop Your Introduction

Have a plan of options to talk about instead of memorizing!

To read more about crafting your professional introduction, click here.

Professional Introduction StockAs always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office. And be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of Adjusting to the Workplace.

Summer 2019 Drop-In Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:00pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.

 

Wentworth Hackathons – What they are and why you should participate

By: Faith Bade

The word “hackathon” comes from a combination of “hack” and “marathon”. Hackathons can last 24 hours or longer, with an informal culture (bring your sleeping bag) and food and drinks provided. Teams come to a hackathon fully organized or are formed on the first day. At the end of a hackathon, teams typically present their results. Often, there are contests and prizes. Most hackathons have a specific technology focus (a new app, website, coding, hardware) or a goal of using technology to solve a problem or for the greater good. Hackathons offer a great way to meet new people, learn new things, win prizes, and take home some swag. Plus, you can advance your professional experience and career success. And, btw, hackathons are free!

At Wentworth, we have a student organization called HackWITus. Founded in Fall 2016, HackWITus is one of Boston’s largest student-run hackathon organizations. In the last year, HackWITus has brought together 150+ students from across the country. Students worked on dozens of projects, attended workshops hosted by our exceptional faculty, and developed new skills, broadened their networks, and expanded their career opportunities.

According to Shawn Toubeau, a student organizer with HackWITus, hackathon participants can “connect with others in their profession, learn new tools, and get a sense of what is in demand.” Here in CO-OPS + CAREERS we agree, and we highly recommend that Wentworth students participate in a HackWITus hackathon. Why?Professional Persona

Add your hackathon experience to your resume, LinkedIn profile, and your portfolio. In interviews, talk about your teamwork experience, your efficiency, and the collaborative projects you worked on.  Impress employers with your cutting-edge skills and your commitment to staying ahead of the curve. Employers love that students attend hackathons and are learning outside of the classroom. BTW, all majors should try a hackathon. Just like organizations, bringing a diversity of thought, approaches, and skills to solve a problem often results in a better solution. According to Nova Trauben, a student organizer with HackWITus, “everyone brings something to the table.”

Recruiting

Hackathon participants can gain co-ops and full-time jobs. Employers sponsor hackathons and hire students. Showcase your skills, and your ability to collaborate and meet deadlines. Employers will want you to be on their team. At the end of Wentworth’s Spring 2019 Community Build Hackathon, sponsored by Rocket Software, 5 students received co-op offers. HackWITus also offers some higher level sponsors the option to receive a resume book of participants. Hackathons offer you a way to differentiate yourself.

Skills

 

Learn a new software. Expand your coding capabilities. Attend an interesting workshop. Technology is always changing – hackathons help you stay current on technologies and to learn from your fellow hackers. Plus, you can hone your presentation skills. You too can pull off a persuasive and articulate demonstration after 24 hours with little or no sleep!

 

Networking

You never know who you will meet at a hackathon. Sponsoring employers often coach, offer workshops, and judge the outcomes, and Wentworth faculty coach and present workshops. Get to know them all and stay connected. Plus, your teammates will be students from Wentworth and other universities and these connections can last forever.

Hacking Workspace sign

Self-knowledge

After participating in last year’s HackWITus, Nova said “It really felt like it jump-started my career.” Come to a hackathon and figure out what you like and dislike. Did you like coding? Did you like developing the product interface or identifying the product’s application? Or presenting? Or managing the team? Hackathon experiences will help you learn more about yourself and where to focus for your next co-op or full-time career.

Prizes

Who doesn’t want Bose headphones, or Airpods, or an Echo, or gift cards? Or an offer to co-op?

Fun

Stay up all night. Meet new people. The culture of hackathons is both intense and very chill. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a sleeping bag. Maybe bring your own Keurig. FYI – bring a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a change of clothes. (You – and your team members – will thank me for that tip.)

Any other takeaways?

Yes! As Shawn eloquently stated “One of the things that stuck with me after a hackathon ended was perseverance. It’s always hard to stick with something, especially if it’s new to you  . . .  but I think hackathons teach you to never give up easily and to keep on working at it until you finally get it.” Take a deep dive into something you are passionate about. Find out how fun it is to challenge yourself and work hard and create something (even if you don’t win a prize).

HackWITus is planning their next hackathon on November 9-10, 2019 in CEIS. Sign up now! Shawn, and all of us in CO-OPS + CAREERS, suggest that you “Come with an open mind and an eagerness to learn.” We hope to see you there!

As always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office.

Summer 2019 Drop-In Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:00pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.

Co-op Stories: Joey Cordeiro

By: Joey Cordeiro

Joey Cordeiro is a Junior in the Electrical Engineering program at Wentworth. He completed his first co-op with Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, RI as a Student Trainee/Torpedo Systems Engineer. Joey recently sat down with CO-OPS + CAREERS to share his co-op story.

Student on Naval Base

Tell us about your first co-op:

I worked in the Systems Integration and Test Branch in the Undersea Weapons, Vehicles, and Defensive Systems Department. My role was to support the build and programming of a test set for an electronics assembly used in a weapon system. I worked under and was mentored by several experienced electrical and computer engineers. I had already completed a summer internship with NUWC last summer.

What interested you in NUWC?

Working for a defensive and weapons company has sparked my interest for a few years now. I always knew that if I got into this line of engineering then it would be a very satisfying job, and I would be working on something that has an impact on today’s world.

Applying for a role with the Navy, were there extra steps you needed to take?

The application process was like most other engineering internships, including submission of a lengthy application, resume, and doing a few initial phone interviews. The process became much more involved once an offer was made and I accepted. The process of acquiring the required security clearance to work this government job was a lengthy one at that. The procedure was well worth it looking back; getting the great opportunity to work for a strong Navy operation such as NUWC.

What was a typical day like at your co-op?

I normally spend my mornings reading torpedo specification documents and reading up on the hardware that I would be working with. There is an abundance of information and aspects of undersea weapons to learn about. The rich history of the vigorous engineering and years of hard work that has gotten NUWC to where it is today is truly what gets me excited to come to work every morning. I would typically spend all of my afternoon in the labs with my project team members working on the various tasks of our project. This spring co-op, I spent a majority of my time building a test set for the electronics assembly being programmed for the torpedo.

You are completing your second co-op with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. What has changed between your first co-op and your current?

I, along with my co-workers and managers, had more confidence in me to give me more responsibility and work load. I was able to work on multiple aspects of my electronics assembly program. On my first co-op I spent a lot of time working on specification documents, and revising and updated them to Navy standards. This time around, I was able to complete more hands-on work involving design, fabrication, and testing of a torpedo test-set.

Why did you choose to return for a second co-op with your employer? What advice do you have for students who are interested in returning to their first co-op employer?

I returned to NUWC for this co-op for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because of the satisfaction I got from working for the Navy. Seeing the great things we do as a 3000-person team here at NUWC, it was a no-brainer for me to return. A lot of it also had to do with my knowledge of defense systems as a whole. I learned a lot on my first internship, but I wanted to learn more and I felt that another 4-month co-op would do just that. I wanted to learn as much as possible about undersea warfare and what it feels like to serve the Navy fleet every day.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Joey! Be on the lookout for our next co-op feature. If you would like to share your co-op experience (positive or not-as-expected), or have any questions about the co-op process, please email us at coopsandcareers@wit.edu.

As always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office.

Summer 2019 Drop-In Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:00pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.

Adjusting to the Workplace Part 2: Young Alumni Panel

The Real Truth About Adjusting to the Workplace from Recent Wentworth Alumni

By Ria Kalinowski

 

As part of the 2019 Summer Leopard Lunch & Learn Series, CO-OPS + CAREERS invited four young alumni to campus to give advice about adjusting to the workplace. Our moderator was Janel Juba, Co-op + Career Advisor. The alumni were as follows:

  • Hayley Patton, 2016 Biomedical Engineering Graduate. Currently working at ZOLL Medical as a Design Quality Assurance Engineer and completed one co-op at the manufacturing center at ZOLL.
  • Will Ma, 2018 Computer Information Systems Graduate. Works as an IT Service Desk Analyst at Criteo. Also, the CEO and co-founder of “STEAM Boston”. Completed co-ops at Dell/EMC, Brightcove, and EF Education First.
  • Kasey Cordeiro, 2018 Electrical Engineering Graduate currently working at Starry. Completed two co-ops at Raytheon and worked full-time for them as well post-graduation.
  • Alyssa Payette, 2016 Biomedical Engineering Graduate working as a clinical applications analyst at Mass General Hospital. Completed one co-op there as well.

Alumni Panel Photo

Professional Relationships

The alumni shared advice about building professional relationships in the workplace. Two main points that came up were the importance of being confident, so people begin to trust you and figuring out what to share and what not to share:

Hayley: Make sure you have those little boundaries, don’t be too personal, but don’t also be a clam.

Alyssa: In the last 3 years, I got the opportunity to serve in a few different management roles, so I can actually speak to the other side of it as well. So initially kind of like what Hayley was saying, it was a little touch and go trying to find what to share and what not to share. Afraid of it being off putting, you kind of want to blend with the teams you are on. So, you definitely want to share to identify those things you have in common. It can be tricky when you’re worried about crossing lines.

Will: Some advice is to try not to be too personal. Make sure to not cross the line.

Another way that these alumni managed professional relationships, especially with their manager, was by speaking up and asking questions. Having open lines of communication with your manager is important so that your expectations align:

Kasey: Definitely speak up if something is not working for you or if something could work better. I find that a good manager will be open to that kind of feedback. They want your productivity to be as high as it can be and they want you to be comfortable in your work space.

Alyssa: And you have to remember that your managers are trying to accomplish the same goals as you so if you are struggling, my best piece of advice, which I have done, is to set up a meeting to discuss your professional relationship.

Hayley: I’m the type of person who asks a ton of questions…when I first started I was going to [my manager] at least 3 or 4 times a day asking where’s this, how do I do this? But he was super helpful. He also provides information on where to find information on the questions you have. So he also kind of pushes you to find it yourself.

 

Company Culture

These alumni gained a lot of knowledge about their company’s culture through research, the interview process, and observation:

Will: Basically the first week they can give you an understanding of how the culture is, so what kind of clothes they wear, is it really casual or more professional, is it a 9-5 culture or is it more like a work hard play hard type of culture – there are a lot of factors you can learn from that first week…and also the interview too, when you have an interview one of the questions you should ask is how is the company culture.

Kasey: I actually used WITworks, and on there [saw that] Starry goes to the Career Fair… so I looked at [WITworks] and it said something like company culture or in their dress code maybe and so I looked through those and saw it said very casual… and so I used those to play my interview strategy where I was sort of half business causal but more on the casual side… I think it helps the transition a lot.  And then paying attention to how they acted in the interview, and how casual it was, and the way they interacted with each other, that was my strategy.

Alyssa: Like Will said, definitely in your interview ask about the culture, because sometimes you don’t meet with everybody when you go in for an interview… so definitely find out what the specific group you are working with has as far as culture, and then speak up, ask questions, pay attention to your surrounds when you go in for an interview.

Alumni Photo Panel

Learning from Failures

Making mistakes are an inevitable part of adjusting to a new workplace. The alumni shared how they were able to overcome or learn from these experiences:

Hayley: So I do a lot of testing, and it has to be super attention to detail… one time I was testing one of our new AED products, and I had put in a code for the Wi-Fi, because our device communicates over the internet to the hospital… and it just so happened that the number I put in was [wrong]… you have to make sure that no matter how many times you’ve run through this or how many times you’ve done it, you have to treat it like your first time.

Will: So what I did was I basically wiped out a whole computer, and the employee wasn’t happy… we didn’t really do that much research, and so after the computer was wiped, I had to create a backup plan-  how can I prevent this mistake from all the 20 other employees in the whole company from deleting someone’s files, so I made some documentation, and talked about some steps you can take to solve this bug on the computer, and actually a lot of employees are looking at this documentation to this day… overcoming failures makes you grow and turns you into a better employee and turns you into a better person.

To read more about adjusting to the workplace, click here.

As always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office. And be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of Adjusting to the Workplace.

Summer 2019 Drop-In Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 2:00pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.