General Electric (GE)

Software Engineer Co-Op

May - August 2017 • Erie, PA

What I liked

Was treated with the expectations and responsibilities of a full-time employee. At the same time, team members understood when I was not familiar with elements of the job and were always available to help.

What I wish was different

Because of recent events, the atmosphere in the workplace could feel stifling or depressing. Intern reviews of the work and the workplace were widely varied, so it can be hard to say whether or not a person would come into the position enjoying what they did. It can also be difficult for people to voice their concerns to HR.

Advice

I personally know of students that left the internship in the middle because they felt like their dissatisfaction with their work was left unheard. That sort of issue should be addressed, especially since the student was being active about their concerns.

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Pipestress Summer Intern

May - August 2017 • New London, CT

What I liked

Lots of great engineering experience. Completed real projects alongside engineers, and got assigned work just like full-time engineers in the department.

What I wish was different

I didn't start getting this type of work until my second year at the internship.

Advice

Start getting internships early. Apply after freshman year, don't wait.

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Fulfillment Intern

May - July 2017 • Erie, PA

What I liked

This was my first experience in any kind of Supply Chain-related role, which allowed me to learn a lot throughout the entire summer. My assignment leader challenged me with a variety of projects that helped me to grow and develop as an Intern.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time in my role at the company.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask "why." It is important to not only know how to do the work you are assigned, but also why you are doing it, and how it affects the success of the company.

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Engineering Intern/Co-op

January - July 2017 • Jacksonville, FL

What I liked

Very friendly and helpful co-workers, assignment leader provided tasks that were challenging and interesting. Several opportunities to work in different areas.

What I wish was different

I wish I had taken more time to learn about the different processes going on in the shop.

Advice

Always ask questions and get to know people around your desk, it's great networking and they're most likely willing to help you out and share what they are working on.

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Digital Technology Leadership Program Intern

June - August 2017 • Boston, MA

What I liked

I loved my team. They were so kind and were always willing to answer my questions. I never felt like I was a burden because I was an intern. In fact, they told us that we actually made them a more productive team; I felt like I belonged. We were absorbed into a full functioning Software Engineering team and were given the same day-to-day tasks as other engineers.

What I wish was different

I wish that the onboarding process had been quicker. It took a while for HR to figure out what team to put us on, and it took them some more time to figure out exactly what project we should work on. I wish that they had planned all of that stuff out before hand.

Advice

Your supervisor and team members do notice the effort you put in and your attitude. There were some interns on my team who expressed that they didn't like the nature of our project; they thought that our supervisor wasn't aware of their feelings, but she actually was. She noticed their unwillingness, and I think that their attitude worked against them at the end of the summer when it came time for return offers.

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Lean engineering

May 2017 • Arkansas City, KS

What I liked

New challenges, working with engines

What I wish was different

More hands on engine time

Advice

Always look for projects

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Technical EID

June - August 2017 • Schenectady, NY

What I liked

The culture at General Electric is phenomenal. Everyone there was extremely friendly and welcoming to the interns. Also you are there with almost 100 other interns and there are so many opportunities to meet other people and hang out outside of work with them. There are also many opportunities to do things outside of work while with GE such as volunteering or joining a sports team. GE has tennis courts, soccer fields, a gym and much more to do outside of work. For example I got to play in the GE tennis league all summer.

What I wish was different

I worked on the same project over the entire summer and, although I learned a lot, I wish I got to work with the engineering team more closely and learned more about what they do specifically.

Advice

The advice I would give to a future intern is to make the most out of your experience. Network with as many people as you can (interns and current employees) and just have fun.

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EID Intern

June - December 2016 • Feasterville-Trevose, PA

What I liked

I liked the sales role I was in at GE, where I was able to assist other sales managers in quoting large projects, as well as working with distributors and contractors to help them choose GE over competitors.

What I wish was different

I wish there were more interns at my location. I was the only intern at my location for the department of GE that I worked in, so I didn't have anyone my age around. This would have enhanced my experience.

Advice

Stay ahead of your work, finish your work as early as possible, and be prepared!

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Engineering Intern

June - August 2017 • Windsor, CT

What I liked

Great networking opportunities with senior employees and fellow interns

What I wish was different

I wanted a more hands-on internship

Advice

Never be afraid to ask questions!

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Technical EDI

May - August 2017 • Trevose, PA

What I liked

I was given one project assignment that was the focus of my entire summer. I was given a lot of independence with this project and lots of opportunity for growth.

What I wish was different

There was a lot of repetition in what I was doing. It might have been nice to be able to explore different functions at the work site as well.

Advice

Ask lots and lots of questions. Not only will they make your job easier but it shows your managers you are interested and passionate about what you are doing.

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Mechanical Engineering Intern

June - August 2018 • Fort Worth, TX

What I liked

I like the fact that I was offered a hand-on engineering experience.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more time.

Advice

Experience is an experience. You cannot beat experience.

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Manufacturing Engineering Intern

May - August 2018 • Milwaukee, WI

What I liked

I liked getting the freedom to work on projects that were particularly interesting to me, like robotics and operations. They were very supportive and wanted to make sure that I learned a lot.

What I wish was different

I thought the internship was very good and there isn’t much I would want different. It would have been nice to see more of my work in production.

Advice

Make sure that you ask questions and are open about how things are going. If you don’t let others know if there’s something challenging or something you’d rather be working on they’ll never be able to help.

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EH&S intern

July - August 2018 • Boston, MA

What I liked

The employees were very informative and helpful, but hands off in a way that allowed me to manage my time across multiple projects. My co-workers were also so amazing and inspirational in the work that they did this summer and hope to do in their future.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been able to start sooner so that I could do more than one large (final) project that I ran on my own and wrote up a report on to conclude the summer.

Advice

Go in with an open mind and be willing to try new things. Also, don't shy away from sharing your interests with your employer because you never know if they can cater your work to include some of what you are interested or a project completely centered around your interests.

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