- Major: Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
- Company: Bayer AG/ Beiersdorf AG
- Graduation Year: May 2022
- E-mail: nweiner@vols.utk.edu
Profile
Jackson, TN
I did my co-op with Bayer, known for Afrin, Aleve, Coppertone, and many other products. The plant was in Cleveland, Tennessee, and I worked a full-year term (three rotations) from May, 2019 to May, 2020. I worked in the manufacturing area under the team for Coppertone, in which I assisted with managing manufacturing lines, as well as developed a system to record line documentation digitally instead of on paper.
I decided to co-op because I don't have any immediate family in engineering, and I was unsure what the professional world would look like. I wanted to get a glimpse into my future career options, as well as get to experience the lifestyle of working a 40-hour work week job.
During summer 2019, there was a lot of change going on at our plant, as the entire plant was getting acquired by Beiersdorf, the brand behind Nivea. During this time, I became involved in a project pertaining to the changeover of systems from Bayer to a third-party service provider. This whole experience was a big lesson for me, because I was able to sit in on many meetings in which very critical and high-priority tasks were taking place. I was able to get a peek into the processes that go on in order to maintain the infrastructure of a manufacturing plant, and into how the different departments of an operation have to work together in order to maintain themselves and overcome roadblocks.
Working in industry, at least in my industry, was a big shift from what I had learned in class and through my studies. It made me realize that the curriculum taught at college serves as more of a background for your future, and work experience demonstrates your ability to take your work ethic from school and apply it to new areas. It also gave me exposure to many people of many different backgrounds, who all were invested in my growth as a person and would constantly support my work and have conversations with me to help prepare me for the future.
My co-op was the best decision I made in my whole college career. That isn't a testament to the co-op I was involved in, but rather the benefits of seeking out a co-op and getting to work a whole year. I was able to make money in order to fund myself in college, I was able to step away from academics and learn about myself and what I like, and I was able to meet many people who shaped who I am today. Whether the co-op is exactly what you want or not, it proves to be beneficial either way, and if you are interested in developing yourself as a person as well as your future, then it is worth your time.
When not working or taking classes, I enjoy drawing, listening to music, working out, hiking, meditating, and playing competitive video games.
