Cargill

Engineering Co-op

May 2023 • Dayton, OH

What I liked

I like the hands on experience and fast pace environment. There are a lot of people willing to help on projects and answer questions. The intern forum creates a great opportunity for networking with other interns during the summer, and gives a chance to meet employees on the regional team. The work and safety culture are both admirable, and make it worth coming back. My projects included increasing evaporator efficiency with a new cleaning method, installing a pellet mill autolube system using airlines and grease, installing a metering screw for recycle on a gluten dryer, and installing a rigging system for a blank.

What I wish was different

Onboarding and getting used to all of the different programs that the company uses makes it hard to get started at a faster pace. The plant could definitely be cleaner, and sanitation should be a higher priority because it causes difficulties. The processes to go through in order to implement projects are unclear without guidance from another engineer when starting out. The plant is all-hands-on-deck because things are constantly breaking, so more routine maintenance would be beneficial, but more people are needed at this location.

Advice

Take opportunities to visit other sites, and get a better feel for the company as a whole. Don't be afraid to listen to speakers at events like Intern Forum, because they have good advice to share. Try to be independent and not ask your supervisor questions that could be better directed towards others. Ask for help when necessary; everyone is very nice and will help you when they can!

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Mining Engineer

January - August 2023 • Lansing, NY

What I liked

Working on meaningful projects that I was able to complete. Worked with all the hourly crews and the engineering team regularly. I felt I learned a lot and was able to be helpful to the other employees.

What I wish was different

I wish I didn't have to go back to school.

Advice

It's never a good idea to act like you know everything. Be willing to learn and make an effort to do more than what is asked when completing projects. Don't be afraid to go do something on site that looks like it would be interesting.

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Project Engineer Intern

May - August 2021 • Hersey, MI

What I liked

Everyone was extremely welcoming and willing to help me learn.

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions! Everyone is always happy to share their knowledge.

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Operations managment Intern

May - August 2023 • Marshall, MO

What I liked

Even though i didnt get the location i wanted, I liked the relocation package and ability to travel. It is project based but you also had time to do scheduled calls to meet with industry leaders. Traveling to surrounding plants that produced different proteins, I got to see 2 kill facilities The diversity and inclusion

What I wish was different

A different location and something more involved in behind the scenes supply chain. More organization and communication for prior to starting - but i learned that this varied from location to location

Advice

Come in with an open mind, speak up and show initiative! Get to know the other interns, they can help with projects and even collab on new ones

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Engineering Co-op

May 2023 • Cleveland, OH

What I liked

The people and overall work environment at Cargill are great! I have enjoyed working on projects such as mine surveying, requestion of new drill components, and gas meter troubleshooting/testing.

What I wish was different

I would like to still learn more about the ins and outs of the site. I also would like to be more involved in projects on the site, currently I have a decent amount of downtime waiting to hear back from contractors and vendors.

Advice

Getting involved with the associate engineer's projects will keep you busy and just help you learn more about what happens around your plant.

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Packaging Engineering Co-op

January - August 2024 • Sidney, OH

What I liked

So far I have rather enjoyed all of the new work being done installing a new production line. Helping set up the line, working with installers to learn the new system and gaining valuable information on how to fine tune from the techs has been great. Being involved with multiple other projects like working with contractors to get quotes for automated storage systems has given me experience with business negotiations or working with the productivity engineers to set up all the data collection software and decision trees for our new line. All of these projects have helped me understand how much goes into just one production line and puts in perspective how many different people put their hand into help on projects. It is amazing to learn about all the different facets of manufacturing, technology, processes and professional development that can happen all in one plant.

What I wish was different

I wish I had put myself out there more to start my co-op term. There is a large magnitude of projects going on all at the same time and everyone could use a helping hand in one aspect or another. In packaging there are a lot of moving parts, so getting with the different departments and learning what they are currently working on could have given me more to work on at the start of my co-op. I also wish I spent more time with the operators during my start. They have a lot of experience with on the production lines and can always show you tips and trick that you would have never thought of or possibly just a new aspect on a project you are struggling on.

Advice

Learn that it is okay to ask for help, especially if you do not know the answer at that moment. It took me some time to build up the confidence to ask questions but once I learned that everyone wants to help you do well, the questions start to roll of the tongue. No person in the office or plant wants to see you do poorly or always be in a state of confusion. They are always wanting to see you learn and grow because they know that is what you came to their company to do, so take advantage of all the help you can get!

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Chemical Engineer Co-op

May 2024 • Dayton, OH

What I liked

I have now completed the first half of my co-op and am starting my second. I have really enjoyed my time with this company, compared to my peers in other co-ops around the Dayton area I have been given a lot more responsibility and not just been given busy work. I also have had a great group of people around me that have been more than willing to show me what a career in engineering entails. One thing I really found helpful is I have a supervisor in my department and a mentor outside of my department. Having both of these resources along with the engineering team to talk to was really beneficial to get multiple views and it really allowed me to get help whenever I needed it.

What I wish was different

At the start of my term, we had just switched to a more condensed version of training, and it was a lot of information being thrown my way at once. I could see why this wouldn't be a problem for someone who has worked in a factory similar to this one but with it being my first co-op it was a lot to process. That being said the department specific training was very in depth and was at a much better pace, I am only talking about the general training I experienced with other interns and new hires.

Advice

It can be very overwhelming especially in the beginning when you are learning process, equipment, and software but as long as you ask a lot of questions and reach out for support when needed you will succeed. I would also really recommend talking to technicians and other people outside of your engineering team, a lot of the time those are the people who know the equipment best.

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Engineering Co-op

January - August 2023 • Cleveland, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed the work environment, as well as the coworkers. We had weekly safety meetings to ensure that we were doing what we could to ensure the safety of our employees. I also enjoyed the projects that I was involved in. One of these projects was to make a system to help reduce the dust that is sometimes formed from the waste conveyor belt. Cargill takes great care in ensuring that their co-ops and interns are treated well and truly believe that we are the future of their company. They make sure that everyone feels welcome and help you to become a more rounded employee and individual.

What I wish was different

I wish that I had the ability to work on some bigger projects. I understand that because I am only in here for a limited time that I cannot be put on big projects, but I wish that I was at least asked to help a little with it. I also wish that when I first arrived that I was more outgoing in my attempts to get projects. when I first came, I just waited until people gave me work to do, but after a little bit of time I started to ask for work to do and that allowed me to be put on more projects. I also wish that I was able to work with more of the engineering staff here. I typically was working with the same individuals on most of my projects, so I wish that I had a greater variety of people to work with.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would share about this experience would be to make sure to put yourself out there. When I had first arrived, I didn't get a lot of work, but once I started to ask to be put on projects is when I started to enjoy the co-op more. Another piece of advice I would give is to not be afraid to ask for help. Everyone there knows that you don't have experience in the field, so you don't have to be embarrassed to ask for help. Another piece of advice I would say is to make sure to get along with your coworkers and to network when possible. It is important for companies to see that you are able to integrate yourself well into the workplace.

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