Intern: Jordan Baker
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Company: Polaris
Location of Internship: Wyoming, MN
Internship Title: Powertrain Intern
- Why did you choose the company that you work for?
- I wanted to work here because I have always been interested in motor/power-sports and Polaris is always on the cutting edge of the industry. Additionally, I have always heard great things about the company culture at Polaris.
- What were some of the requirements for your internship?
- One of the requirements for Polaris is a 3.0 or higher GPA. In addition I believe they look for people that are passionate and have experience or interest with motor/power-sports.
- What is your favorite part about your internship experience?
- One of my favorite experiences at Polaris was designing a part and then seeing it being used the same day we received them from the fab shop. It was a very rewarding experience seeing that my design was in high demand.
- What is the most challenging part of your internship? How have you overcome these obstacles?
- The challenging parts of my experience at Polaris also helped me grow the most. The most challenging part was learning to work in such a fast paced environment and working on multiple projects at the same time. To succeed it is important to stay organised, not get tunnel vision and plan for what is coming next. That way you can roll from one project to the next smoothly with little down time.
- How did you find your internship?
- Through an NDSU Career Fair
- Why was it beneficial for you to register your internship for credit through the Internship Program?
- It was beneficial to register my co-op for credits. By doing this you are gaining credits toward graduation while working at your internship or co-op.
- What advice would you give a student who is in the process of applying to an internship?
- To anyone looking for an internship there are a few things I would recommend. First make sure you are doing well in school, most companies require a 3.0 or higher GPA. Try and set yourself apart, get involved in extracurricular activities. One club that looks great on a resume is The Society of Automotive Engineers. Being involved in clubs/teams like this shows that you can apply what you are learning in the classroom and work well with others in addition to being very fun to be in. If you have hobbies that align with what you want to do for a career, throw that on your resume. Don’t focus your resume completely around extracurriculars but they will definitely set you apart from the crowd and be remembered. This is especially helpful to someone looking for their first internship.
