This was a great experience! I learned a lot working in the purchasing department. I worked with an amazing team and enjoyed my overall experince.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been able to spend more time out on the production floor.
Advice
I got this internship at the Career Fair, so my advice is to put yourself out there and talk to as many companies as possible when seeking an internship.
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Lean and Quality Co-Op
January - August 2023 • Eaton, OH
What I liked
Parker Hannifin is a great company to co-op for there was a lot of opportunity to learn and lead. There have been a couple of projects that I have been a part of and felt like my thoughts and ideas matter. I have enjoyed getting to know everyone in the office and on the shop floor. This position also gave me a lot of independence in what I did in my day.
One of my projects that I worked on in my second term is a Kaizen, which is a rapid need for change for the better, this event was focused around reducing production variance. I was a member of one of three sub teams, that focused on getting correct counts of parts and scrap. Working on this team was the best part of this term, it gave me experience in working in a larger team. I also liked the work environment that is here.
What I wish was different
One thing that I wish had been different, is that my high-level and main projects had been defined a little bit earlier in my rotation. There were a lot of daily tasks that had to keep me busy, but it changed each day. Although this is my first rotation, my next rotation should be better because I will have more experience.
I also wish I would have had another big project to work out during my summer rotation. There were plenty of things to work on this summer they all ended around the same time. There was still a lot of opportunity for growth in the things I did work on. Things will only get better when returning.
Advice
Ask a lot of questions, everyone is there to help you if you don't know what you're doing. There are a lot of people that have worked in this industry for a long time, and they want to share their knowledge. Even if you go out to the shop floor all of the team members have something to share. So, take the time to go out to talk to them and see what they to share.
Another thing that I would recommend that other interns to is work as a team on as many projects as possible. It makes it so you have people to hold you accountable and to brain storm ideas. You also get to hear out everyone's ideas that you might not have thought of on your own. Teamwork is one of the best skills to keep in mind.
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Engineering Co-Op
August - December 2022 • Eaton, OH
What I liked
I liked how big of an operation they are running at the Eaton plant. Although I was just the engineering Co-Op, I ended up helping out a lot of operators in every single area of the plant which really allowed me to get a lot of experience and knowledge in many different areas of work. I also really liked the engineers that work there. They taught me a lot and helped me out when I needed it the most.
What I wish was different
I wish that corporate would get more involved on an operator level. They are very involved with the plant managers and all of their direct employees but they rarely talk to any operators or Co-Ops directly. Our bosses were always the middlemen which sometimes led to misunderstandings and miscommunication. I also wish that Kaizens were a little more relaxed. It seems like we always got too caught up in the metrics during these instead of actual improvement. Also, one week is sometimes not nearly enough time to improve an area which is why Kaizens can be stressful.
Advice
I would like to share that If you have a positive work ethic and learning mindset you will be a great worker at Parker. Also, get involved in areas that aren't directly related to your major or job title because doing so shows people that you have not reached your limit yet and you still have a lot of room to grow and learn. Lastly, try to have fun while working! Work is so much more enjoyable if you joke around with co-workers and try to make friends with everybody.
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Product Engineering Co-Op
May 2021 - January 2022 • Washington, MO
What I liked
Friendly staff, Ability to work in many different product lines, On-site test lab
What I wish was different
Housing accommodations, career offers outside of the corporate "leadership development" track
Advice
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Accounting Intern
June - August 2022 • Mayfield Heights, OH
What I liked
I really liked all of the people I worked with. Also, I was given a lot of valuable projects, and I felt like I was truly a part of the finance and accounting team.
What I wish was different
I wish that I could have been located to my house.
Advice
I would advise to always be open to opportunities and never be afraid to give your input on projects to help the team.
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Manufacturing Engineering Intern
June - August 2022 • West Valley City, UT
What I liked
There was a lot of structure, but also a lot of room for me to explore and innovate on my own. There was a lot of support and I worked on meaningful projects.
What I wish was different
The IT is not very good.
Advice
Don't be afraid to ask for help! You're an intern--they know you don't know everything.
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Product Designer Intern
January - August 2022 • Manhattan, KS
What I liked
Was a great environment very hands on. Great community welcomed me in with open arms and gave me great experience to be an amazing engineer.
What I wish was different
I wish I would of been able to visits different locations.
Advice
Be ready to work they expect you to be one of the engineers just with easier projects.
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Engineering Intern
May - August 2021 • Manitowoc, WI
What I liked
Lots of hands-on experience with daily trips to the production floor for issues, generally self-directed and really chill management, great people to work around in the plant.
What I wish was different
Definitely not a lot to do in this area, or at least I was not great at finding them. Pay could've been a bit better too, but it was not bad. Not a lot of close housing options I found either, so ended up commuting from Green Bay.
Advice
Definitely be prepared to go in with an open mind and ready to use ideas you've had in the past to solve problems, not super heavy on calculations or math-heavy engineering, lots is quick turnaround tooling.
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Lean and Quality Co-Op
January - May 2022 • Eaton, OH
What I liked
Parker Hannifin was an amazing place to work! There were many things that I liked while working there. One thing that I liked was the independence they gave me. I would never have guessed that I would be going around the whole facility working with all of the workers on the floor and helping them by improving things in their daily work life. I also liked all of my co-workers. They were super helpful when I needed help and always treated me with respect even though I am just a temporary Co-Op.
What I wish was different
Parker was an amazing place to work and I really only wish for one thing to be different. I understand the need for a very safe work environment, but some things safety wise are too much. For example, there is a requirement for people to be trained and put on a list to use a chop saw. Once they are put on the list they can go get the key to use the saw but the key is at the whole other end of the shop. It takes at least 5 minutes to go get the key, unlock the saw, put the key back when done with the saw.
Advice
There is one main piece of advice that I would like to share about this experience. It is to ask questions! There is no way that you will know everything as soon as you get there but there are many people that would be glad to answer your questions including some people that have been working there for 30+ years! Another thing I would share about this experience is that I was never bored at work. If I wasn't assigned anything thing to do, I could work on helping improve any area I wanted. I loved this because it is an amazing feeling when my personal ideas benefit the company. I was never bored also because the workers are fun to work with.
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Manufacturing Engineer Co-op
January - May 2022 • Lewisburg, OH
What I liked
I found the greatest attribute of Parker Hannifin’s Lewisburg Tube Fitting Division to be the talent and commitment of the employees. Along with an abundance of other strengths, the company is full of intelligent, capable, kind, and dedicated workers. These wonderful people have great integrity and strong business principles that lead to success. I was coached and mentored by multiple team members who had my best interest in mind while working in this position. Throughout my experience, I was assigned projects to complete through my own creative means and freedom to work in the manner that best suited my needs and growth. Some of my tasks included software new to me, such as Inventor, AutoCAD, Prusaslicer, and Pronterface. These experiences allowed me to grow my engineering skillset. I participated in multiple team-based projects that enabled me to gain insight and valuable knowledge. Finally, my favorite personal projects revolved around designing and producing various enhancements through the use of 3-D printers.
What I wish was different
Parker tube fittings go through a lengthy and rigorous production process, therefore there are facets of the operation I did not get to participate in during this semester. There are many different opportunities in each area to further explore and improve, and simply too much to take on all at once. I enjoyed each of the projects and tasks they assigned, but continuing to stretch even further outside of my current skill set would have been beneficial. When I first arrived to work, providing me with more background information would have been helpful so the general process was more clear to me. I was given a tour but had trouble understanding the general steps in production and specific actions taken to complete each tube fitting.
Advice
Take advantage of the experiences of the operators working on the plant floor. Due to the office being separated, it can feel both daunting and intimidating to talk to some of the people physically producing the tube fittings. I have only had positive interactions with all Parker staff and encourage others to take the first step and engage with the people whose jobs you are trying to make safer and more efficient. Along with that, ask for advice from all people in the office. The engineers and supervisors that I worked with were all top-notch assets, but that does not mean that different perspectives are not worth pursuing. The whole building overflows with helpful, creative individuals, so be sure to utilize the invaluable asset that is your co-workers.
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Industrial Engineering Intern
May - August 2021 • Grantsburg, WI
What I liked
I loved the work atmosphere. The people who work for Parker Hannifin are driven, knowledgeable, and so cooperative and welcoming. They work as a team with safety, efficiency, and ergonomics as a priority in all of the processes that they implement. The success of the company can most definitely be dedicated to the loyal individuals who proudly represent Parker Hannifin day in and day out.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Summer Engineering Intern
May - August 2021 • Kalamazoo, MI
What I liked
I enjoyed putting my skills to good use. I felt my work was actually going to be very useful in the long run.
What I wish was different
It would have been nice to work in different areas to develop a wider set of skills. Most of my time was spent behind a computer.
Advice
If you're not feeling challenged ask for more to do.
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Mechanical Engineering Intern
June 2021 • Wickliffe, OH
What I liked
I love the professional relationships I built with most of the Experienced engineers I got to work with which gave me the opportunity to learn a whole lot more and be better at my work. Loved and appreciated the trust and confidence they had in me to lead some important projects and testing.
What I wish was different
NA
Advice
Have the zeal to learn more from those with experience. Build professional relationships because they will take you places
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Information technology
April 2018 - March 2020 • Cleveland, OH
What I liked
How in depth the internship was, how I learned more from going to work at Parker than going to class at Cleveland State University. Which is sad to say, but definitely true. The experience and knowledge from an internship is nothing that a book can give to you or a lazy professor because if you ask one person and they don’t know the solution you just go to another cubicle until you find someone that could explain certain topics better. If I never had this internship I don’t think I would be graduating in the spring!
What I wish was different
COVID didn’t happen and I could still be there possibly.
Advice
When given the opportunity take an internship, you are not doing it just for the company you are making a name for yourself, branding yourself. So if you were to mess up own it and if you are lost own that and ask questions. Internships are there to help you understand if this field is right for you or not!
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Engineering Service Intern
June 2021 • New Britain, CT
What I liked
The environment was so friendly and opening. Everyone there is so kind, I'm not afraid to ask questions. The tasks I worked on were also applicable to my major in school.
What I wish was different
N/A
Advice
Always do research about a company beforehand!
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Quality Engineer Intern
June - August 2021 • Hauppauge, NY
What I liked
Taught me a lot about Quality Engineering
What I wish was different
Wish I had been able to do more R&D related engineering compared to a lot of Data Analysis and Organization
Advice
Always keep an open mind about what assignments you’ll get.
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Accountant Intern
May - August 2021 • Cleveland, OH
What I liked
The excel skills I learned, location, and atmosphere around the office.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more "accounting" projects. Some of my projects weren't based on what I learned it was more of a configuration type thing.
Advice
Overall my experience was good and I felt like I received a lot of trust was given to me.
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Automotive Machinist
May - August 2019 • Lakeview, MI
What I liked
The people there were great.
What I wish was different
The training system wasn’t fully developed yet.
Advice
Try something new, even if it isn’t related to your future career.
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Design Engineer Intern
June - August 2020 • Des Plaines, IL
What I liked
I liked that in my internship I was taught how to do the work and then trusted to do that work.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have been able to travel to a manufacturing plant.
Advice
I would encourage others to not only be diligent with their work but also make an effort to get to know the people that they work with.
