My Impression Of An Engineering Internship At Elmelin
As part of my studies at the Higher Technical Federal Training and Research Institute in Ferlach, Austria, I was expected to complete 4 weeks of practical work experience training during the school holidays.
Through friends of my family, I came across Elmelin, a manufacturing business founded in London that focuses on industrial insulation. Terry, the Managing Director of Elmelin recognised that I am currently learning a skill that is needed at Elmelin.
I was then offered an engineering internship at Elmelin, which would allow me to gain in-depth knowledge and improve my skills. I had never been to London before and was very grateful for the opportunity to work in such a renowned city.
Before My Engineering Internship At Elmelin
In the weeks leading up to my visit, I was researching Elmelin, the industry and mica. Seeing the intricate technical machinery on the Elmelin website made me apprehensive about how I could contribute to this industry.
I had previously heard of mica, but I did not truly understand the technical possibilities mica lends to our way of life. Nor did I understand how mica is used in the industrial environment.
Before leaving Austria, I had a phone call with Terry. I was nervous about what kind of questions Terry would ask me, but I needn’t have been. We hit it off straight away and spoke about some of the differences between London and Austria, including the weather.
Terry answered all of my questions about the upcoming trip such as what I should bring with me and what clothing I should wear.
During My Engineering Internship At Elmelin
When I arrived in London, I was extremely nervous about what people, including my new colleagues, would think of me. I worried about understanding the various dialects and accents and wondered how I would cope with the many cultural differences. Similarly, I was nervous that people would not be able to understand my English.
I was also unsure about whether I had the right skills to work for a business as technically advanced as Elmelin.
Again, I needn’t have worried. On my first day, Terry gave me a tour of the office and introduced me to the Elmelin team. Everyone at Elmelin made me feel at ease. They were friendly and made me laugh.
I was then given the correct uniform, which included safety shoes, overalls, gloves, safety goggles and face masks for Chemicals. I was told that whichever area I was working in, it was important to keep the work area clean at all times. Then, I went from one area to another, chatting with the team and gaining a better understanding of what each process did.
During my time at Elmelin, I was given the opportunity to work in many areas of the production process. I enjoyed spending time with my team members. They saw I was interested in the process and happily answered all of my questions.
The London Experience
By the first week, I had made plenty of friends and was excited to get into work and see everyone each morning. Like the rest of the team, I would clock in at 7am and clock out at 3.30pm.
I was grateful for these hours as it gave me plenty of free time in the afternoon to explore London. I was able to visit iconic attractions such as Buckingham Palace, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Imperial War Museum.
During the weekends, I would spend my time further exploring London. I memorised the names of some of London’s skyscrapers including the Gherkin, the Radio, the Walky Talky, and The Shard; the highest building in London. I went up to the top of the Shard and enjoyed a wonderful bird’s eye view of London.
Grateful For The Opportunity
Before my trip, I feared I wouldn’t be skilled enough to work for Elmelin. I worried that the team at Elmelin would expect me to be able to do the work, but I didn’t have experiences working on the machines that Elmelin used. The last thing I wanted was to be a burden to the team at Elmelin.
Thankfully, my colleagues were fantastic. They taught me how to use the range of machinery and equipment and I always had someone with me for support. I also understood the different dialects and accents from Jamaica, East London, North London, Pakistan and Nigeria.
I learnt so much during my four weeks at Elmelin. The factory had old machines, which still did the job perfectly. It quickly became apparent that Elmelin is a growing company with big plans.
I was lucky enough to be there when they introduced a brand-new state of the art CNC Milling machine. I was told they’re getting more new machinery in the near future.
In the 4 weeks that I worked for Elmelin, my insight of working changed tremendously. I learnt how you can have a big impact on your colleagues and working environment. If you create a miserable working environment, you will have a miserable time at work.
However, if you greet everyone with a smile and crack a few jokes while working you will have some of the best times there. I am very thankful for the opportunity and thoroughly enjoyed my time working at Elmelin.
Get In Touch
If you are interested in doing an Engineering Internship with us, please send us your CV to recruitment@elmelin.com. We are always looking for good technical people to get involved in our business.