I became better at diagnosing a problem and thoroughly explaining technical issues.
Name: Haley Patel
Major: Aerospace Engineering
Employer: NAVSEA NREIP
Location: Bethesda, MD
How did you find the position and what was the interview process like? I was an Intern at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, specifically their NREIP program (Naval Research Enterprise Internship). I learned of the program through an email from the aerospace department. I filled out the application, which was quite long, and I had to get two recommendation letters. There was no interview.
How would you describe the culture? Departments were split by separate buildings, creating a close knit environment. In my building, everyone knew each other and we all hung out after work and supported each other. Overall the work environment was pretty relaxed and welcoming.
Would you recommend this internship to other students? I was grateful to have the experience with a government contractor. I was hoping to do something with aeronautics, but my internship was focused more on missile defense systems. This internship helped me to confirm that I definitely want to work with aeronautics for my career.
What new skills did you gain? I became better at diagnosing a problem and thoroughly explaining technical issues. Rather than saying something simple like "the object blew up" or "it's not working." Now, I am able to use more technical and professional terms.
Did you accomplish all that you wanted to with this internship? No, a 10 week internship was not enough time to complete all the projects they wanted us to do. I had to work on three different projects in a day, which got hard to keep track of. However, I did make connections with many people there.
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