Author: Yen Pham | Major: Electrical Engineering | Minors: Math and Computer Science | Semester: Fall 2022
As a rising sophomore majoring in Electrical Engineering, I received an email from the Honors College regarding an Externship program at Tyson. The brochure vaguely detailed an inside look at Tyson Foods’ leadership, employees, and offices. After a competitive application process that resulted in a 3 AM interview in Vietnam outdoors, I received an invitation to participate in the first-ever Honors Engineering Externship at Tyson.
From the beginning, Tyson was off to a running start. The program outlined 10 jam-packed weeks of learning that I embarked on with five other peers that were selected for the program. Corporate tours, personal mentors, captivating guest speakers, and learning about software (3D modeling, Revit, etc.) were scheduled into a 2-hour block every Friday. As time progressed, I quickly learned much about Tyson Foods and an engineer’s role in the industry. Every minute of the way I was impressed by the dedication that the team at Tyson had put into making my experience memorable and fun. I got to shadow mentors in my field that walked me through what was expected of an electrical engineer at Tyson. This experience felt unique because it was something that I felt was missing in my formal education: knowing and being to ask about the industry application of what I learned in school. Overall, the opportunities to learn that I received participating in this program exceeded my expectations. Seeing collaboration in work not only within the lines of HEET but all around in schematic design (lighting, refrigeration, paperwork, etc.) was extremely helpful to my professional development.
Beyond talking to seasoned professionals and a roster of guest speakers, the team at Tyson had prepared for us some activities of our own. From simple teamwork-building games to drafting a research paper, a presentation, and participating in resume reviews, I learned that communication and teamworking were the essence of what makes engineering the effective giant that it is. To further my learning, I was actively encouraged to practice these essential skills. As a participant in this pilot program, I was actively asked for advice on how to make the program better. Often, we would go 30 minutes to an hour over our time limit just sharing recommendations and potential activities to include and take out (shoutout to the Tyson food store!). I felt a great improvement in my communication and teamworking skills that will stick with me past this program.
I plan to apply for an internship at Tyson Foods in the future to further my learnings as an engineer. This program allowed me to look at a Fortune 100 company in a rare way. I got to see the inner workings of a large chunk of the company. I also experienced the kindness of my mentors, fellow peers, and the employees at Tyson that have influenced my thought process greatly. I hope to, soon, work with the same people who nurtured and went through this program with me. In the distant future, I would like to mentor the next batch of students who go through this program. For now, peace.