A Jack of All Trades
Colin
Experience Information
Employer: Herman Miller
Job Title: New Product Manufacturing co-op
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Herman Miller is an 8000+ employee furniture design and manufacturing company located in West Michigan with locations in other countries. They are most known for their high-end office furniture (particularly seating) but also manufacture healthcare, education, and home furniture. The company has a positive culture that places emphasis on employee benefits, environmental sustainability, community service, and creativity.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I worked in the New Product Manufacturing group. When new products were launched, my group was responsible for spanning the bridge between design and mass production of new products. My work entailed the design and development of tooling, fixturing devices, and other various manufacturing tools that would make new parts possible to produce. On top of my engineering responsibilities, I also took part in an intern project with a team of interns with a diverse set of skills. Together, we looked at the way Herman Miller trains and communicates to the people who install the product for our customers. This involved conducting research speaking to business partners involved in selling and putting together the product (dealers and installers). Ultimately, this culminated in a presentation of our proposed solutions to the CEO and executives of the company.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Because I had an engineering role that was related to both product development and manufacturing, I was introduced to an incredibly wide range of experiences relevant to my field. Taking part in the New Product Manufacturing group gave me a better understanding of how ideas can become final products. Because of the general intern program, I had a good chance to see many different areas and meet many different types of people. This gave me a lot of exposure to different career paths and the people in them. I also had a chance to become more skilled at general professional skills such as organization and communication, which are essential to any professional.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I really enjoyed that Herman Miller takes their interns very seriously - my role felt more like I was being trained as an entry-level engineer than as a pencil-pusher or a coffee-fetching intern. They aren't afraid of giving you challenging work and making you a real part of their projects. The folks at Herman Miller truly do value the interns and what they bring to the company.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I am becoming increasingly fascinated with the process of products starting as ideas to become mass-produced, everyday products. I realized how much talent and communication it requires along each stage of development, and I would like to be exposed to all facets of design, development, and manufacturing.