Intership update

[Northstar]

We had the Engineering Employment EXPO over the past three days here at U of I, and I talked to several different companies. The only three automotive companies that were there though were Honda, Toyota, and Ford. I talked to all three, but Honda said they don't hire anyone who doesn't have at least a status of sophomore, and Ford said it was hard to get a job as a freshman. Toyota, however, seemed to be pretty interested in anyone who wanted to go into the Automotive field. GM didn't come for some reason (even though their website said they were coming) so obviously I didn't get to talk to anyone from GM.

I also talked to Cummins (seemed somewhat interested), Caterpillar (very interested), Daxcon (they just told me to post my resume at their website), and I think one other company that I can't remember right now.

I can still apply at GM's website, and I plan to, but I'm not sure that that sounds very promising in terms of getting an internship.

I know this sounds "bad" but if I do get an intership offer from Toyota, I think I'm probably going to take it. Caterpillar would probably be my second option, and they have a research facility in my hometown, so that would be a plus probably, but the Toyota job would be basically what I want to do, just not necessarily with Toyota for my career.

[knightfan26917]

Sounds like mixed results, Northstar.

Good luck with whatever comes available to you.

Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker

MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/

Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html

"Enough is enough, I can't take anymore" ... Alabama ... 'Can't Keep A Good Man Down'

[Drew Dowdell]

awesome, you can be our mole on the inside....

[razoredge]

I see, with my interests I would be pretty excited about Cat. They are and have been whats happening in commercial equipment and powerplants. Pretty high in diesel technology, the Cat powered trucks and equipment at work are far superior to the rest.

[Northstar]

I see, with my interests I would be pretty excited about Cat. They are and have been whats happening in commercial equipment and powerplants. Pretty high in diesel technology, the Cat powered trucks and equipment at work are far superior to the rest.

193145[/snapback]

Yeah, Cat would be fine too, I'd just rather work for Toyota because that'd be basically the job that I at least think I want to do. Cummins would be fine with me too. I'd really be open to basically anything that deals with something that has to do with autos, especially since I'd be making a good amount of money getting what's essentially job training. Apparantly Cat has some new mining truck that has to be assembled on site because it's so huge. They assemble most of it at the factory, but then they ship the big pieces and assemble it to its destination.

[PurdueGuy]

I work assembly on those CAT engines. Some 3300 and 3400, but mostly 3500, and 3600's on the other side of a wall from my area. Some big freakin' engines.

Don't feel bad about working for Toyota - it's a good career move to get experience with them. CAT would look good on a resume, too.

[GMman]

Oldsmoboi has the right idea. If toyota gives you a shot, take it. GM might be more interested in you 'after' you're 'in' at the japanese giant.

[z28luvr01]

Meanwhile, deep in the nether regions of hell, Satan brims with evil laughter at the prospect of acquiring another soul.

If you do get the job at Toyota, steal office supplies. Lots of them. Leave the lights on wherever you go. Jam the printer up so that it needs major repair/replacement. Make them bleed cash like it's going out of style.

Me---> <----Northie

Now that I got that out of my system, take whatever job in your field you can get. Right now your goal is to rack up experience wherever you can get it. That's every bit as important as your GPA, and will only become more so as your career progresses.

[Farkas]

LOL, I immediantly thought of this:

[FAPTurbo]

Maybe Northstar can do them a favour...

...dude, you should totally lace the water cooler with LSD and sprinkle amphetimines on their cafeteria food.

It may finally give Toyota some interesting designs.

[Variance]

Do you what you need to do, Northstar.

Whatever can help you in your carrer and/or future should have greater priority over any brand bias.

[regfootball]

espionage, here we come!

[Satty]

Do you what you need to do, Northstar.

Whatever can help you in your carrer and/or future should have greater priority over any brand bias.

193178[/snapback]

Yes, advice from a mature person, listen to it.

[Croc]

Yes, advice from a mature person, listen to it.

193241[/snapback]

Agreed.

[deftonesfan867]

I second that motion.

[C.H.U.D.]

Traitor! liek OMG j/k@!!!@

[GMTruckGuy74]

Do you what you need to do, Northstar.

Whatever can help you in your carrer and/or future should have greater priority over any brand bias.

193178[/snapback]

Just as long as you show no bias on your behalf. I don't think I could last a full minute in Toyota without screaming to high hell how I think GM vehicles are far better! I'd be like Steve Carrell in that scene from "Bruce Almighty" where Steve's character is trying to broadcast the news and Jim Carey's character is standing there making him talk all funny!!

[CARBIZ]

Tough call! Guess millions of people make this decision every year when they buy their Hondas/Toyotas.

Our sister store (Toyota) offered me a position there a couple years back. I wouldn't take it. Maybe I would make more money over there (although they are far more cut throat than we are here at Chevy), but I just couldn't do it.

Maybe I have the luxury and stability of solid career experience that lets me be choosy, I don't know. I do know, however, that there is too much about Japanese trade practices that I don't like and deeply resent. If GM went belly up (not likely) or shut down in Canada (read: Texaco after restructuring), I would probably get out of the business.

We are sewing the seeds of our own destruction every day.

I wish you luck in whatever you decide.

[pow]

Do you what you need to do, Northstar.

Whatever can help you in your carrer and/or future should have greater priority over any brand bias.

193178[/snapback]

Agreed. Miracles aside, the future of Toyota is far brighter than with GM.

[NOS2006]

Since I'm in about the same boat as you, Northie, I figured I'd add that TRW Automotive called me today wanting to setup an interview.. pretty cool.

[razoredge]

So what is your main area of interest ?

[Northstar]

So what is your main area of interest ?

193610[/snapback]

I'm not sure if you were talking to me or NOS here, but I want to be in some part of product development (whether that be powertrain, chassis, etc).

[NOS2006]

Well, it applies to me, too, Northie. However, I'd also like to get into the design aspect of things if possible..

Oh, and today my mom found out that she knows the wife of a guy who does some of the hiring at Dräxlmaier, a place where I turned in my application at the last co-op fair. Click HERE to see what they do. I'd be pretty damn excited if I got that position..

[NOS2006]

Since I'm in about the same boat as you, Northie, I figured I'd add that TRW Automotive called me today wanting to setup an interview.. pretty cool.

193486[/snapback]

Anddddd I've got an interview setup for Tuesday.

[tmp]

Agreed. Miracles aside, the future of Toyota is far brighter than with GM.

193435[/snapback]

I don't necessarily agree with that, but he should do whatever it takes to get in the door somewhere in his field. It's to be hoped that once he's proven himself, he can start to pick and choose where he wants to work.

[NOS2006]

I don't necessarily agree with that, but he should do whatever it takes to get in the door somewhere in his field.  It's to be hoped that once he's proven himself, he can start to pick and choose where he wants to work.

193798[/snapback]

I'd most agree with you.

[razoredge]

I'm not sure if you were talking to me or NOS here, but I want to be in some part of product development (whether that be powertrain, chassis, etc).

193661[/snapback]

So, mechanical then, not styling. Toyota is a great place for powertrain, they have been building excellent motors for decades, not sure about chassis stuff.......Id look to Lotus for that.. :AH-HA_wink:

Industrial equipment is much more basic, mostly based on tonage, where more is better. Cat is still pretty smart on that diesel motor though. Todays heavy truck engines are hytec and really do perform better than just 10 years ago.

[razoredge]

Oh, and good luck to both of ya's............

[NOS2006]

Oh, and good luck to both of ya's............

193810[/snapback]

Thank ya, sir.

And, yes, both Northie and I are going into Mechanical Engineering, yet at different (both highly respected) colleges.

Edited September 16, 2006 by NOS2006

[schuby87]

And, yes, both Northie and I are going into Mechanical Engineering, yet at different (both highly respected) colleges.

193824[/snapback]

Mechanical Engineering, the best field in my opinion. I may be a bit bias tho.

[NOS2006]

Anddddd I've got an interview setup for Tuesday.

193794[/snapback]

Well, the interview's in an hour and a half and I'm really damn nervous. I hardly get nervous usually, but this time I feel really nervous although I'm more prepared for this one than I have been for any of the other interviews I've went in for.. Ahhhh.

[Sixty8panther]

*evil grin*

[04monteintimidator]

hey small world... im also thinking about mechanical engineering...

my problem is... im torn between civil, which will lead me to what my dad does and ill wind up taking over for him...

mechanical, which will lead me to grad school for automotive design and on to one of the big 3's design departments (hopefully GMs... i would LOVE to be a part of getting Pontiac back on track)...

or this other program they have at OSU which is in the engineering program... but it is entirely automobile specific, they do everything... it has alot to do with actually building it and not alot with design... and if i do that ill probably minor in industrial design to go along with it since that contains automotive design... and that would lead me straight to one of the big 3's design departments with no grad school involved...

but i cant decide... the two of them are pretty much the same thing... only different ways of goin about it... and the other is completely different... but im not sure which one ill be happy with yet...

[Northstar]

Industrial Engineering can also get you to the automotive field, but it would deal more with the assembly plants than developing vehicles, I think.

Is OSU Ohio State or somewhere else?

[04monteintimidator]

yes it is indeed Ohio State

[NOS2006]

Are you the class of '06 or '07, intimidator?

[Northstar]

Are you the class of '06 or '07, intimidator?

195679[/snapback]

Since he doesn't know yet for sure, I'm assuming '07.

How did the interview go?

[NOS2006]

That's what I was guessing..

Interview was great! I swear, it was crazy though.. I've never been that nervous for an interview and, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever been as well prepared or had such a smooth interview. I mean, I haven't had a "bad" interview, but this one was very conversational back and forth between me and the two guys that interviewed me. I was very relaxed in answering their questions and I was able to answer their questions immediately. Then, after the interview, they asked me to fill out an application (weird order of operations, I know..). After that, the one guy took me on a tour of the testing facilities and showed me what they were currently working on and what each machine did. Pretty cool experience and a couple nice guys.. They told me that if they're not in contact with me by then to call them in a week. So, I guess I'll update again in a week!

[04monteintimidator]

no im class of '06

right now im in civil engineering but OSU's engineering program is pretty much uniform across the board until the second trimester of yur sophomore year... so i have a little while to decide what it is i want to do

[Northstar]

OSU has trimesters? I didn't know that...

The important thing is obviously getting your GenEds in. I'm taking all GenEds except for one Mech Eng class (Calc, Calc 2, 2 semesters of Chem, 1 of Physics, then other elective Gen Eds).

[04monteintimidator]

true... but OSU has this crazy thing with the engineering program where they pick most of the classes for me... for example right now im taking an engineering survey class... an intro to engineering class... Calculus... and Honors Sociology...

the only reason im in honors soc is because in order to keep my honors standing... i need to take one honors course per semester for 6 sememsters...

luckily the calculus and soc fulfill GEC... haha