Once again Careerzing interviews Andrew Horner now that he has completed his third academic year at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.  Since our last visit, AT&T curtailed their co-op program due to the economic downturn.  Andrew worked with Georgia Tech’s co-op advisors – ranked the best in the country year after year – to help him get set up for the second leg of his co-op program - this time with Enercon in Atlanta.   This update with Andrew took place July 3, 2009.

 

 

Describe what you have been doing this summer?

I have been working in a co-op assignment for Enercon, a company that designs the structures and equipment required for nuclear power plants.

 

I am assigned to the civil engineering group, which is responsible for all structural design, drainage and transportation planning, and coolant pipe systems, among other things, for the company’s clients. I have been working on hand-drafting pipes, reinforcement walls and reinforced concrete. I have also been learning and working with basic functions in the computer program GTSTRUDL, which performs structural calculations. I have updated structural calculation reports, which are used to qualify structural designs for emergency and seismic loads in a nuclear plant.

 

How has your work helped you solidify your career interests?

My work has been focused on structural engineering, which is what I hope to specialize in during school for my career. The work that I have been doing has linked very directly to the schoolwork that I have done this year, as well as the classes that I will be taking in the fall semester in structures and fluids. This is very exciting to me, and the fact that I am enjoying my summer work so much encourages me that I am making good career decisions.

 

Now that you are almost done with two co-op segments (another one to go), what is your opinion on co-op programs and their impact on your overall education?

The co-op program is a valuable tool to enhance a college education, especially for engineering majors, because it provides practical and productive experience in a specific major that often directly relates to college classes. In effect, a good co-op experience will reinforce classes already taken and give advanced preparation for classes that will be taken in the future. Employers also intend co-op assignments to be a precursor for permanent employment with them, guaranteeing a job after graduation. It also serves as a great professional reference, so even if the student cannot take the job, they will find their resumes much more attractive to other employers, a valuable advantage in this tough economy.

 

How does your management and co-workers at Enercon value you as a student of both the university and their profession?

My co-workers at Enercon are extremely dedicated to their work, and actively encourage anyone who wants to follow a similar path. As such, they have been helping me extensively and patiently as I try to learn the more advanced concepts of civil engineering in the workplace. They often give me assignments that allow me to see new design considerations and procedures, and work with me as I try to understand how to best complete the job. The managers also seem to value the co-op program as a valuable source of new employees that are familiar with the industry’s procedures and needs.

 

How much does the current national interest in alternative energies influence your personal interest in entering into the nuclear field? 

I have been actively following news regarding this new interest in alternative energy, and I am very interested, not just for the obvious employment opportunities, but also for the notion that our country – and the rest of the industrialized world, for that matter – is moving into a vital new future of energy production, involving renewable and clean sources of energy. For this reason, I am especially excited about a field of work that will be directly involved in determining how we live in the long term, and my work at Enercon has piqued my interest even more in the nuclear field now that I see its bright future and influence in domestic public policy.

 

If you did not ultimately work for Enercon what other areas does your co-op and civil engineering degree prepare you for?

My work at Enercon has almost never been in strict nuclear design and training. The civil department focuses on structural engineering, site planning, and fluid drainage systems, all of which are readily applicable in the rest of the world of civil engineering. As such, I feel that I am preparing for any job in the construction and structural design industry.

 

Many of Enercon’s employees are former engineers of general structural engineering firms that have made the transition to the nuclear power industry, and I feel that I could make a similar change if it turned out that a long-term career at Enercon were not possible.

 

Tell us what you think of your experience at Georgia Tech now that you are entering your senior year? 

Georgia Tech presents a fantastic learning and development experience for anyone interested in engineering as a career. My classes at Tech have focused on practical teaching and experience, often from former and current industry professionals. For example, my professor for Civil Engineering Systems was the former director of Massachusetts Public Transit and Highway Systems, and is still regularly called in to Washington for consulting work. My Surveying teacher taught my class from 8-9am, and then went to work for a professional surveying firm. This caliber of faculty, along with the institute’s keen focus on professional education and storied history in engineering education, makes me very glad that I chose to attend Georgia Tech.