Aaron Lim, a recent graduate from UC Irvine, recounts his summer internship at Simpson Strong-Tie in Riverside, CA, where he gained practical experience in manufacturing engineering and learned about lean engineering principles. Under the mentorship of Shoen Davis, Aaron contributed to continuous –improvement projects and appreciated the company’s commitment to community and other core values. His internship gave him valuable insights into the field and solidified his career interests in manufacturing.
Hello everyone! My name is Aaron Lim, and after completing my B.S. in mechanical engineering from University of California, Irvine, I’ve been spending my summer at Simpson Strong-Tie as a manufacturing engineering intern. I chose mechanical engineering as a college major because it’s very versatile and gives me many different career options. I love problem-solving, critical thinking, and being able to communicate with a team to create something better for the world.
Originally, I had not known about this company. I found their internship via Handshake, a recruiting site for students. From there, I conducted further research into what they do, which led to me applying for this position.
Overall, working at Simpson Strong-Tie has been a wonderful experience. I’ve learned so much about the manufacturing industry and have made progress defining my career goals. One thing I’ve learned about mechanical engineering is how wide ranging its applications are. In fact, I find myself having trouble choosing which field of application to pursue as I move ahead. Interning in the manufacturing field gave me a new experience and it gave me a strong interest in working in this field in the future.
During my experience here, I was able to work on different projects with different lead workers regarding continuous improvement. One project I was assigned to work on was finding better ways to improve the process of packing as different machines needed to be relocated. I was taught the essentials of fundamental lean engineering. This led me to perform various duties such as conducting time studies, drawing up flow diagrams, and collaborating with other workers. It was wonderful working with a friendly company able to offer advice to guide me whenever I had questions.
After my introduction to the Riverside branch, I was assigned to Shoen Davis, my current manager in the internship. He was able to provide a solid foundation of knowledge about this company while providing me with the tools and skills necessary for success in the job. He taught me a lot of organizational skills, like how to draw process flow diagrams and spaghetti diagrams to give me a better grasp of the flow of the manufacturing plant. Additionally, he has a welcoming demeanor and has always encouraged me to ask questions if I need help or clarification. He’s a caring and energetic individual, so working with him has turned out to be a lot of fun.
Every day at Simpson Strong-Tie has been rewarding because I feel learn something new every single day. As I perform various time studies and collaborate with leads or other interns to share ideas for improvement.
Overall, my internship at Simpson Strong-Tie has been an irreplaceable experience, and I continually learn from it. I have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of lean and continuous-improvement engineering, which is essentially a mindset for every worker to identify and resolve issues. This allows workers to help promote sustainable growth and achieve greater efficiency, and it gave me a new view about the manufacturing field.
I also admire the company culture, which follows nine core values and a vision of giving back to a greater community. As the company founder, Barclay Simpson, stated, “We’re all connected in some way and are all part of a greater community. Look for small ways to give back every day.” I believe that as engineers, we can consistently improve and contribute to our community, and that will forever stick with me in future careers.
To all students who are searching for internships, I want to emphasize that any experience is a good experience because it allows you to grow individually. One of the greatest things about internships is that they build networks among colleagues, allowing different opportunities for growth. Be bold in exploring new career possibilities because you never know how far they might lead if they inspire you. Grasp whatever knowledge is given to you, and never be afraid to ask for help.
