Highlights of my Siemens Internship

The most interesting moment was touring the gas and steam turbine factories. It was exciting to learn how Siemens manufacturers turbines down to the parts, and everyone there plays an important role. Siemens has 1650 Charlotte employees and not all of them are engineers, yet, they all matter! They are all paid very well too. Most people are “lifers” meaning they stay until they retire. Even retirees return to work as a contractor, occasionally too.

My biggest challenge was learning how turbines work and being able to explain it to someone else.

There are so many take aways:

• Apprenticeship Programs: in Machining and Industry Maintenance. Students graduating from high school have other options than a 4 year college degree. Students are guaranteed a job with Siemens and Siemens pays for their tuition and books. These students can earn up to six figures a year. Apprenticeships are so respected abroad because the carpenters, electricians, and plumbers rebuilt Germany after World War 2.
• Managing Risks: in everything you do, you should be thinking about how to minimize & manage daily risks
• Safety First: Before we can teach our students, we should explain to them the rules of staying safe at school
• Employers would like teachers to teach students: critical thinking, problem solving, organizational, procedures for breaking down big projects, flexibility, growth mindset, how to accept feedback, and embrace uncertainty, in addition to the soft skills. Employers are looking for people who love to learn and can work well with others.