http://www.abec.com

ABEC, Inc.

Mechanical Design

June 2020 • Bethlehem, PA

What I liked

The people at ABEC are phenomenal. It is truly an excellent learning experience and I have become a better engineer because of it. The internship was designed so that we would all have individual intern projects that we were expected to complete by the summer. We had a manager that we worked directly under and would regularly meet with them about the project. I got to create a new system standard to their current motor assemblies so I could tell there was a vested interest by the department in what I was doing and it wasn't just use work given to me. Even though there was one manager directly assigned to manage my project, It didn't stop me from talking to everyone else there if I needed help, in our outside the department. They truly treated the interns like new hires and showed us the ropes! I enjoyed it so much so that I continued working as an intern there part time well into December. If you are a mechanical engineer/ bioengineer and want a really good internship where you are making a difference and learning a lot, apply to ABEC!

What I wish was different

The only difference I would have liked is directly tied to being an intern during COVID. Apparently they usually do more professional development events in normal years where the interns get to know each other and network with other people outside of their department but that could not happen due to the virus. This did not detract from my experience in the slightest.

Advice

The mechanical design internship is pretty technical. Know CAD (specifically Inventor) and know it well. Have a general knowledge about how bioreactors work. Look at other positions at ABEC too. Their project engineer and product management positions are also interesting! Do not be afraid to ask questions. There is no such thing as a dumb question. However, at the same time, recognize that you should do due diligence and actively find an answer on your own and hit a road block and THEN ask one of your coworkers.
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