- Major: Mechanical Engineering
- Graduation Year: May 2021
- E-mail: akelly22@vols.utk.edu
Profile
I've worked for the summer and fall of 2018 at Altec Industries in Burnsville, North Carolina, and for the summer of 2019 at The Timken Company in Mascot, Tennessee. At Altec, I worked in their manufacturing and assembly department to help improve the performance of the plant. At Timken, I worked with their maintenance department to research process improvements to existing and future equipment.
I decided to co-op in order to gain a more well-rounded experience than just spending a short summer at a company like my time at Timken. During my time at Altec, I learned to utilize the entire team to complete my projects, from associates on the floor to the GM of the plant. Everyone has something to add and it really helps getting a broad field of view. Ever since my 6 month stint at Altec, I have learned to be able to manage my time and focus my energy more effectively in my studies. My professional growth has also been improved as I have gained many different experiences that I can look back on and make better decisions in the future.
My biggest concern before I took my 6 month co-op was that I would feel more behind in my coursework but have actually felt quite the opposite. Going on co-op has been immensely helpful in proving to myself that engineering was the right choice and would hope that everyone can have a similar experience.
I enjoy boating with my grandpa, cycling, and playing video games when I am not busy studying.
