From IT to engineering, Bassett Mechanical offers internship opportunities in various aspects of our business. These opportunities are a chance for aspiring young professionals to explore different avenues they might be interested in, get exposure to a variety of roles and departments, and receive hands-on training that facilitates personal and professional growth.
This summer, we welcomed Jordyn V. as a Refrigeration Engineering intern at Bassett Mechanical. We sat down with Jordyn to learn more about him and how his internship is helping him achieve his dream of becoming a licensed mechanical engineer.
Q: First things first, tell us about yourself!
A: I’m a junior at UW-Platteville majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I’m the President of ASHRAE – Student Chapter where we discuss skills and knowledge useful for students interested in the HVAC field. I’m also Treasurer of Pi Tau Sigma – Honor Society for Mechanical Engineering. Pi Tau Sigma offers us the opportunity to work on projects, network, and attend social events with other students in the engineering field.
After I receive my bachelor’s degree, I plan to continue my education to receive a Master’s in Engineering with an emphasis in Management through UW Platteville.
I’m also part of the Dodgeball Club. In my spare time, I enjoy disc golf, skiing, fishing, and using my 3D printer. The coolest thing I’ve ever printed is a boat with a motor for a class. It was exciting to watch it actually float!
Q: How did you get into engineering?
A: I was always good at calculus, physics, and chemistry in high school, so I tried to find a career path that incorporated all those things. Engineering was my top choice!
Q: Why did you want to pursue an Industrial Refrigeration internship at Bassett Mechanical?
A: My last internship was in the manufacturing sector, I wanted to try construction. I didn’t picture myself in refrigeration, but I wanted to learn something new. With Bassett Mechanical being the leader in industrial refrigeration, I knew this was the perfect place to learn and expand my engineering knowledge.
Q: What type of projects will you be working on this summer?
A: A lot of my projects at the start will be smaller tasks that the engineers do during a project’s lifecycle, such as sizing pipes, estimating the heating load required in a facility, creating drawings of piping systems, and determining the ammonia charge required to operate the system. Eventually, I will be getting into other projects where I can be more creative; for example, I am working on transforming an old excel calculator into a much larger program with the intent of reducing the time spent sizing ammonia pipes.
Q: What are you most excited about?
A: I’m excited to see firsthand the life cycle of a project. From a prospective job to working with the customer and then working on the bid and designing a system, it’s going to be exciting to see the finished project at the end and know that I played a part in it.
Q: What are you hoping to gain from this experience?
A: I’m hoping to be able to understand individual refrigeration components, read diagrams, follow the pipes, and understand how it all works. I know I’m in good hands with our team of refrigeration engineers. I continue to learn new things each day which makes it exciting to come in the office every day. Additionally, I know this internship will help me determine which field I want to pursue upon graduation.
Q: What have you learned so far?
A: I’ve learned a lot in the short time I’ve been here so far. Some of the bigger concepts include proper piping methods, the various types of valves and their applications, facility-specific considerations when sizing a system, how these systems are installed in the field, and what approach to take when working with customers to meet their needs. It has been great to see our how our engineers collaborate to create the best solution for the customer.
Q: What is your dream job in engineering?
A: I really want to be a mentor and help young engineers find their career paths since I have learned so much more from my mentors during past internships, school and now here at Bassett. I eventually want to have the freedom of creativity in my work and the ability to tackle open-ended projects. I want to be able to help customers solve problems and know that I’m making a difference. The exact industry is not of primary importance to me, but rather the culture in which I work.
Q: Do you have a mentor that has made an impact on your life and career?
A: My former supervisor at a previous internship was a great mentor and really helped me flourish. Since it was my first internship and an office job, I was not all that confident in my abilities at first. However, my mentor was more than willing to slow things down at times when I wasn’t sure about something and give me direction when I was going the wrong way. He also gave me some projects where I got to work in the shop and become comfortable with various sheet metal fabrication methods. This really helped me grasp the concept of designing for manufacturability.
Here at Bassett, Nick V. and Ryan Y. have been great mentors for me by helping me understand the engineering process from a bottom-up approach.
Q: What advice would you give to people aspiring to start a career in engineering?
A: Actively seek out new opportunities and absorb as much information as you can, just like a sponge. Be as well-rounded as you can!
Find out more about the opportunities that await you as part of the Bassett Mechanical Family!
