Intern: Tyler Rieger
Major: Electrical Engineering
Company: Western Digital
Location of Internship: Rochester, Minnesota
Internship Title: SIT-lab co-op
- Why did you choose the company that you work for?
- I chose Western Digital, because I wanted to be able to gain real hands-on experience. Also, I wanted to challenge myself to explore options for my future career.
- What were some of your job requirements for your internship?
- Someone pursuing a degree in engineering, and a minimum GPA of 3.0
- What was your favorite part about your internship experience?
- I loved the opportunity to move to a new place. I was provided a fully furnished apartment, that was paid for. Western Digital really made sure that I was situated and comfortable with my move. Also, Western Digital has a volunteer organization within the company, which allows me the opportunity to volunteer with my co-workers, and to explore the community as well.
- What was the most challenging part of your internship? How did you overcome these obstacles?
- I often have to work with programming hard drives, which is not something I am very familiar with. Learning a new programming language, while trying to complete various tasks, has been pretty difficult. However, the people at Western Digital have been extremely helpful and patient. They took time out of their days to answer any questions that I had. Which in the end, helped me learn the language faster, and now I can work on any of the tasks that they provide me!
- How did you find your internship?
- Through an NDSU Career Fair
- Why was it beneficial for you to register for credit(s) through the Internship Program offered through the Career Center?
- It was beneficial, because it allowed me to maintain full-time status while not being on campus. It made things simpler with my financial aid process.
- What advice would you give a student who is in the process of applying to an internship?
- Maintain eye contact during the interview.
- If the interview is online, still treat it like they are in the room with you.
- If you are in engineering and have any projects you have worked on, mention them in your resume or interview (tech companies love that stuff).
- Be yourself (I know it is cheesy, but it works! Talk to who ever is interviewing you like you’ve known them for years).
