For Alejandro Avila, a mechanical engineering student and co-op participant at Rheem during Summer 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024, the experience has been transformative.

 

“The water heater division’s culture and the people there provided challenging projects that encompassed design engineering, materials testing, prototype validation, electronics, and manufacturing,” Avila shared. Rheem supplements this real-world experience with structured learning opportunities. “Lunch and learns, trainings, and mentorship sessions provided hands-on experience and knowledge in different areas of the industry,” Avila said.

 

One of the highlights of his co-op was collaborating with a multidisciplinary team. “My favorite part was collaborating with a multifunctional team that had diverse knowledge across various fields, including product management, quality, manufacturing, testing, design, and upper management,” Avila added.

 

Avila emphasized the value Rheem places on student contributions. “Another significant advantage was the opportunity to actively participate and contribute throughout the entire design process of a new product,” Avila said. “My opinions were consistently valued, enabling me to contribute to multiple patent-pending designs.”

 

Reflecting on his experience, Avila noted its impact on his career trajectory. “My co-op experience at Rheem transformed me from an engineering student with no practical experience into a fully-fledged industry-ready engineer,” Avila said. “Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into the operations of an industry leader and the diverse responsibilities and duties of a mechanical engineer.”

 

Justin Hatter, an electrical and computer engineering student who participated in Rheem’s co-op program during Spring 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024, highlighted the company’s flexibility and emphasis on progression throughout participation in the program. .

 

“While I began getting more and more familiar with the company and its process, I was enabled to work on bigger and bigger projects,” Hatter said. “This eventually led to me designing production PCBs for future products.”

 

Hatter appreciated the trust Rheem placed in his work. “I never felt like my work was going to be thrown out as soon as I left, and in turn, that motivated me to work harder,” Hatter shared.

 

Additionally, Rheem’s flexibility allowed Hatter to balance work with academic responsibilities. “The flexibility they provided me with in regard to scheduling was amazing,” Hatter  said. “I was able to work 4 10-hour days a week if/when it was needed. I was also able to TA for a semester while also working.”

 

Hatter expressed gratitude for the unique experience. “My internship experience was unique as I was able to get hands-on experience from day one,” Hatter said. “Talking with some of my friends who weren’t able to get internships, I consider myself very lucky to get the experience I did.”

 

Rheem’s co-op and internship programs exemplify the company’s mission to foster innovation, sustainability, and excellence. By providing engineering students with challenging projects, mentorship, and opportunities to actively contribute, Rheem strives towards transforming academic knowledge into real-world expertise.