Now that ya’ll have some idea of what it is that I do as a human factors engineer, you might be a little curious to see what I do at Gulfstream – or what it’s like to work at Gulfstream.
For us Riddle kids and engineers, Gulfstream is a dream company. Everyone wants to intern there, get a first job with them. In the eyes of the students, it’s a competitive company to be selected for, with high requirements and qualifications. You have to stand out of a massive crowd to be selected for a position with Gulfstream. I know I’ve wanted to intern and work for Gulfstream since 10th grade and here I am!
Your first day at Gulfstream is a little overwhelming. You got through a morning of paperwork and briefing, pictures and group projects. At Gulfstream, there is a program called Gulfstream University, which basically teaches you everything you need to know about the Gulfstream culture before you actually start your job. You spend two days with them going over leadership plans, history of Gulfstream, what it means to work at Gulfstream, and general rules and responsibilities as an employee. Gulfstream is very thorough; you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into when you go through training. It’s a very serious company as well. They are very proud of the work accomplished and the work ongoing. Don’t forget, we create and deliver the finest aviation experience here at Gulfstream!
I wouldn’t say that the rules and regulations that you follow as an employee of Gulfstream are strict as they are necessary. At first you might think “well why can’t I do this?” or “why does this rule exist?” They’re there to protect us, the employees, and the company as a whole. I don’t want to make it sound like there are lots and lots of strict rules – there aren’t. It’s a very enjoyable experience to be able to work for such a strong, developing company.
From my previous posts, you know that Savannah is a beautiful city and there’s always something to do! Depending on where you live in Pooler or Savannah, the offices are really close. Easily within a 15 minute drive.
Now, each department is different, so I cannot speak on their behalf – only for HFE (human factors engineering). You will have to do presentations and write papers everywhere you go – it’s just part of the job working in industry. One thing that I’ve learned while I’ve been here is that when you’re really into a project you’re working on, you can easily lose track of time and end up working 2 hours of overtime. It happens, but all that means is that you love what you’re doing!
I can’t go into too much detail about my job, like what exactly that it is that I do, but I can tell you with the utmost confidence that I LOVE working for Gulfstream and I LOVE human factors engineering. It’s the perfect combination of my passion for aviation and a great challenge. I love it!
With only about 3 weeks left, it’s sad knowing that I’ll be leaving soon! Now, I’ve had a pretty abnormal summer for an intern, competing in two National flight competitions (NIFA SAFECON and the Air Race Classic), but if you only do the internship, it’s 13 weeks of the most fun you’ll have during your summers as an undergrad (or grad!).
Can’t wait to see what these last two days of the work week bring to my desk!
Until then, blue skies!
Emmy
