Tag Archives: Internship

A Little Piece of Home

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I thought I would have a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out) this week. I’m bundled up in 20-degree weather, while my friends enjoy Spring Break and the perks of attending school in Florida. I was fortunate enough, however, to have someone bring a little bit of warmth my way.

Working at Space Tango, has been undoubtedly exciting, but sometimes I get a little homesick. This week my boyfriend, Malik, sacrificed the warm weather to spend time with me and learn more about our shared passion for the aerospace industry. Although we both miss Florida weather, he was excited to step foot in the Space Tango office.

My boyfriend Malik, and Aerospace Engineering student at ERAU, takes a picture with one of the first TangoLab facitlities.

My boyfriend Malik, an Aerospace Engineering student at ERAU, takes a picture with one of the first TangoLab facitlities.

He had an opportunity to speak with the entire team and get a walk through of our mission operations with CEO Twyman Clements. Even though it was a relatively slow day in the office, Malik was still thrilled to see firsthand what it means to work in the industry. From 3D printing to CAD, he saw everything he was studying boil down to one place.

Being away from friends and family isn’t easy, but invite someone close to you to share it with. It makes time move a little faster when you remember how unique and invaluable your opportunity is to work with a company you love.

⋆ Dani

Minors are a Major Deal

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Minor courses of study don’t get enough praise. I’m currently minoring in business administration and space studies to complement my Communication degree. My initial intention was to take something I was interested in that was sensible for my field, and they certainly are, but I didn’t recognize the true value of them until working with Space Tango.

Space Tango works to scale down customers’ experiments to fit in what they call CubeLabs for microgravity research on the International Space Station. As a Communication major, it’s difficult to see how I piece into this puzzle of research and design. My minor, however, in space studies (SP) provides me with the background information to keep up with the engineers during our meetings. It’s a puzzle piece to the bigger picture.

CubeLabs waiting to be tested in a pressure chamber.

CubeLabs waiting to be tested in a pressure chamber.

SP courses that I have taken gave me an overview of mission history, rocket and propulsion systems, ISS configuration, and so much more. If it wasn’t for my SP minor, then I wouldn’t be as valuable as I am now in the aerospace industry and I wouldn’t be able to effectively market their brand to prospective customers.

My business minor ties it all together. I can keep up with our director of business operations and even devise my own marketing plans that reflect the industry and the company. It’s like being a triple threat in the job market. I have so much more to offer as an intern and, one day, as an employee.

My skills are flexible and it’s all thanks to my minors! I think finding such minors are especially beneficial for flexible degree programs such as Communication. We can fit anywhere, but if there’s an industry you want to work in then cater your education towards it. Especially during internship season and applications, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. What are your strengths? What sets you aside from others? Don’t overestimate the power of your minors. Take the time to find one or two that accommodates your interests or pieces you into your dream industry.

⋆ Dani

You got the internship… Now what?

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It’s that time of year again, when students are getting phone calls informing them that they received that long-awaited summer internship. Of course, students get so excited when they hear the news, but often forget to think about the other impacts of getting an internship. So, based on my experiences, I wanted to share some insight into the factors you should consider when you are thinking about internships.

1. Location

Sure, New York City may sound great for the summer, but if it’s not your home state, there are definitely things to consider.,, Like, where are you going to live? The city is expensive, but if you live further away, you’ll have to commute longer. If you rent an apartment, are you able to get a short enough lease for just the summer? Does the company provide housing for interns?

2. Compensation

There are paid and non-paid internships. Of course, both are great experiences and look great on a resume, but let’s be honest, we all need some compensation to be able to survive the summer. Although most internship compensation packages are non-negotiable, make sure to evaluate how much you will be paid in relation to the cost of living in that area, especially if you’ll have to rent an apartment.

3. Position

Maybe you didn’t get your dream internship position, but you did get a position at your dream company. Don’t be frustrated that you won’t be working on what you had hoped. It is great to just get your foot in the door. So, do your best, and learn all that you can. When that full-time position you’ve wanted opens up in a few years, you’ll have the upper hand, since you worked in the company already.

4. Internship Program

Some companies have well-established internship programs, others may have one or two interns for the entire company. There are different benefits to each. With a well-established internship program, you’ll be able to network with other interns and have tours, luncheons, and meet-and-greets. In a smaller company with a few interns, you will be able to network with full-time employees within the office, become noticed by managers, and possibly be able to rotate throughout different departments.

Of course, there are many other things to consider when deciding if the internship is right for you. However, I wanted to give some brief insight into the major points. I wish you luck with all of your future internship endeavors!

Until next time,

Lindsey

 

Last Minute Career Expo Tips

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Tomorrow is the BIG DAY! For those of you who are attending the Industry/Career Expo, I have prepared a few last minute tips that you can use before, during and after the event!

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I got my Fast Pass!

Before
Here is a list of things you can do before the event:

Fast Pass pick up: Today is the last day to get your Fast Pass early to avoid long lines at the day of the event. Stop by Career Services with your Eagle Card to get your Fast Pass. It just takes a few seconds!

Download the Embry-Riddle Career Fair Plus app: The app is available on Google Play and the iTunes App Store. You will have access to the list of employers, which includes their company description, the job positions available, and any type of work authorizations required. The app also offers a map of the fair so you will not get lost the day of the event.

Do some research: Get to know the companies you are interested in working for. Navigate on their websites to know what jobs are currently offered and what are the requirements. Review the job requirements and qualifications. Companies want you to show them that you are interested in working for their company.

Review your resume: Take a look at your resume one last time to make sure that it is properly formatted and free of spelling errors. Click here for resume tips!

Practice interviews: Practice your elevator speech that you will use to introduce yourself to the employers. Make good impression. Additionally, get together with a friend and simulate an interview. Practice answering questions about the company or about the position you would like to work for. If you are applying for a particular position, go look on Glassdoor to see if there are any sample interview questions. Click here for other interviewing tips and sample questions!

Attend the info sessions: You should attend the information sessions of the companies you are interested in. From past experience, many of them gives you important tips such as how to approach an employer and how to shake hands. Below is the schedule of the Company Information Sessions prior to the Industry/Career Expo.

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Spring 2017 Company Info Sessions

On Site
Dress Code: During the event, you should look professional. You should wear clean, pressed business attire and be properly groomed.

What to bring?: You should bring your EagleCard, a notepad/portfolio to take notes and to hold copies of your resumes, a list of the companies you are interested in, and business cards.

After
Following the event, you may want to send thank you notes to the employers you had significant interaction with or whom you interviewed with.

It’s definitely okay if you don’t get an interview during your first year of college. I used my first time at the Expo as practice. I did not get any interviews, but I went to talk to the various recruiters to get more information. You can ask them what the company is looking for to hire students. They are usually looking for extra curricular activities, clubs and past work experience. Use the following year to boost up your resume!

Hope this helps!

Nicolas

Adapt and Overcome

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I’m nearly 7 weeks into my internship and the most valuable skill I’ve learned thus far is the ability to adapt. Not only is Space Tango a start-up, but the companies we work with expect reasonable turnover times. I myself am the current point of contact for all press and media information in-going and outgoing. I have to have all the information ready for public release and company distribution.

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Although delayed a day at the last minute, Space Tango successfully launched experiments on SpaceX CRS-10, pictured above.

However, working with launches can be unpredictable. Just as quickly as a launch date changes from week to week, I have to be able to update the press kits and all news information. Most recently, CRS-10 launch date and time was changed a week before launch. Space Tango was informed as soon as possible, and most conveniently, the day we were all to begin our travels to Cape Canaveral. The team got a chance to sleep in a little, but as soon as they arrived to the office to reevaluate their mission timeline it was calm chaos.

It sounds like a contradiction, but it was one of those “you have to be there to understand it” situations. Flights couldn’t be changed and all the equipment was packed. Some experiments that we carried had to be kept cold. Despite the finite details that all had to be kept in mind while planning around the launch change, everyone was so calm. They adapted to the situation.

In the end, things don’t always work as we may hope. We do, however, have to be ready to accommodate to changes. More so, you can’t fight the facts. Accept change as it comes and work accordingly.

Ditch the Yellow Brick Road

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Interning at Space Tango has certainly put project management into perspective. Throughout my last four years at Riddle nothing was more challenging to me than staying on task. Assignments sometimes require so much more than we expect.

So what happens when you give a communication major MATLAB for a math gen ed? What happens when you give an engineer a business plan? Or a paper to write? Or a lab to test for safety and health issues? At Space Tango, the CEO is more than just a businessman. Twyman Clements is not only an engineer, but sometimes he’s a marketing specialist, a technical report writer, and a human factors psychologist all in one day. Staying on task means taking on extra responsibility.
On the International Space Station, astronauts have a VERY strict schedule. Their days are planned out by the second. Astronauts don’t get to float back and watch an episode of Bob’s Burgers. They have to follow the red line. On their schedule, known as the Onboard Short Term Plan Viewer (OSTPV), a dotted red line runs across the screen at the pace they should be working. Astronauts use this to figure out if they are on task, or behind.

An old OSTPV that astronauts use. The dotted red line indicates where on their schedule astronauts should be.

An old OSTPV that astronauts use. The dotted red line indicates where on their schedule astronauts should be.

As we know, each astronaut is extensively skilled. They’re more than just astronauts. They’re physicists, biomedical engineers, researchers, and many of which are parents, too. “Astronaut” is a pretty broad title, and even with all their responsibility they manage to follow the red line.

We often overlook the humanities courses that we take, but I’m witnessing first-hand how it all fits together. We aren’t astronauts (not yet at least if that’s what you’re in to), but we are taught to recognize how interdependent our classes really are. The minors you take will only expand the depth of your knowledge.
I’m studying communication, but I don’t just focus on the complexities of grammar and speech. As a communication major I have to understand body language and the art of persuasion all while maintaining background knowledge in the subjects I address. I have to target an audience based on their interests and needs.

All of this sometimes, and more often than not, means I need to understand sociology, psychology, engineering, commercial space laws, international relations, marketing, physics, astronomy, organizational behavior – the list goes on. These are only a few of the subjects I’ve researched for papers, speeches, and interviews. It’s a lot, but by understanding everything, not only am I more valuable to a company, but I can depend on myself to get everything done on time.
I’m not an astronaut, but how could I ever say I’m just a communication major? I’m so much more than a writer and you are so much more than your major. We’re all just following the red line.

⋆ Dani

Spring Industry/Career Expo Calendar Unveiled

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Last week, Career Services published its calendar of activities and events to prepare students for the Spring 2017 Industry/Career Expo. The event, which brings more than 100 companies to campus, will take place on March 1, 2017.

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*All rooms are subject to change

You should take advantage of what Embry-Riddle has to offer to successfully prepare its students for the event. As you can see, most of the events will happen in February. At the beginning of February, there will be a few RefreshER presentations that will go over resumes, expo tips, interviewing and elevator speech and engaging employers. On Fridays, a few Career Services advisors will be available in the Student Center during lunch for quick questions and for resume reviews. There are other workshops that will only take place once during the month, such as the Portfolio Workshop and the LinkedIn Workshop.

Do you want to know the steps on how to be well prepared for the Industry/Career Expo? Check my Preparing for the Industry/Career Expo blog!

As we get closer to March 1, 2017, Career Services will publish the Company Info Sessions schedule. The sessions are usually held the two days preceding the Industry/Career Expo.

If you have misplaced your pass (from the Fall semester) to access the Expo or if you are a new student to the university, then you can get your pass starting on February 2 between 8:00 and 17:00 in the Career Services office.

Good luck on all your work preparation!

Nicolas

Interviews Galore

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Hello again, readers!

SO a LOT has happened recently; the hurricane, canceling the career expo, lots of academic calendar changes, etc.

But for me, it’s about career updates. Within the next 2 weeks, I’m flying out to two different states for 2 different companies in the aviation industry. The first one is with Southwest Airlines for a spring internship. This one is particularly exciting for me, because I’ve never been formally introduced to the airline industry and how human factors fits into Part 121 flight operations. Plus the flight benefits wouldn’t be so bad either.

The second interview is with Garmin in a combined aviation systems, human factors, and pilot internship. My interview is incredibly extensive, about 6 hours or so, because of how involved it is within the companies. Lots of different departments to speak with and sights to see. I think a sim may even be on the interview! This is REALLY exciting because it combines absolutely everything I love about what I do, fly and human factors work. This is also great because Garmin is so specific in aviation, dealing with avionics systems, but also other groups. I think it even has a Golfing section! It’ll be interesting to see what Missouri is like on the ground; I’ve only ever flown through it!

Both companies have such fantastic cultures that are so open towards furthering your education within your specialty and being exposed to others. They have been very receptive to my limited expertise and encouraged me to continue with my education and pursue whatever I love most, regardless of which company it may be with.

I’m very excited but a little nervous about these interviews. I’ve never done a formal job/internship position interview in person before, only on the phone. I am looking forward to it though; it’s especially such an honor to be FLOWN out to these companies. They must think very highly of me! I’ve got a lot of interview practice to do…..

Of course, I’ll post more as we go along, but I wanted to update everyone on these exciting events!

Until next time, blue skies!

~ Emmy

Let Fall 2016 Begin

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Hello there!Jack-IMG_6641

I spent the summer working on the Schedule Integrity team in the Network Planning department at Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta, GA. I was part of the team that was responsible for working on the flight schedule about three months before it was flown; the Schedule Integrity team (SI) is the last team in Network Planning that works on the schedule before it gets turned over to crew scheduling, Delta’s regional airline partners, and the airports Delta serves. Then, it is turned over to the folks in the Operations and Customer Center (OCC) to dispatch and deal with any issues that arise on the day of departure.

Each of the SI members manage a hub, several out stations, a few aircraft types (to ensure maintenance is built into the schedule and for crew scheduling), and works with a regional airline or two (to ensure that they can execute their part of the schedule). My primary focus was on the Cincinnati and Salt Lake City hubs, a regional airline, and helping other team members as needed. Even though everybody has their own beat, we still ended up working together as a team quite a bit when changes to the flight schedule need to be made; for example, a flight might start the day in Salt Lake City then fly several flights and end the night at New York JFK, but if we change the departure time out of Salt Lake City, the days’ flights and ultimately the arrival into JFK might change and impact slots or even ground time for planned maintenance.

Although I was an intern, I am very thankful that the team treated me like a full-time employee which was a great way to get hands-on experience and for me to know that this is what I want to do after graduating college.

Now, it is the first day of classes, and it’s time to get back into my school routine. I do miss working at Delta, but it is nice to return to campus and continue working towards completing my degree.

Until next time,

Jack

 

Quick Update

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This past week has been quite busy juggling between work and my online summer class. I am working currently working with the 2017 summer schedule. My online class is almost coming to an end with less than two weeks remaining. Students must always request permission to take courses online, but it’s a good way to keep moving towards graduation during the summer months.

Last week, we had to turn in a rough draft of a research paper on leadership, which is due in a week. I only have a few assignments left before finishing the class. Since I work 40 hours a week, I have to study and do homework during the evenings after work and on weekends. This week, I will review and edit my essay and turn in my final submission. We also have a final exam in two week. It consists of five short essay questions.

In less than two weeks, my internship at Air Canada will end. I am taking the time to enjoy my last few days as an intern. I hope to come back next spring as a full-time employee.

Until next time!

Nicolas

Contact the author at berniern@my.erau.edu