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Meet Team 1 Plastics’ Summer 2018 Interns

Since 2011, Team 1 Plastics, a plastic injection molding company for the transportation industry, has offered summer internships for college students. During the summer of 2018, Team 1 was pleased to have two students from Ferris State University (FSU), Janna Goyola and Mitchell Hemgesberg, working in the Engineering Department under the supervision of Dave Seedorf, Engineering Manager for Team 1 Plastics. Both students are seniors in the Plastics Engineering program at FSU.

For Hemgesberg, a graduate of Chesaning Union High School (in Chesaning, Michigan), this was his second Engineering internship at Team 1 Plastics. He said that he returned to Team 1 because he “enjoyed the atmosphere of the company,” and was looking forward to learning more about the “ins and outs of project engineering.” Hemgesberg, who will be graduating in December, is interested in pursuing either a Plastics Processing position or Project Engineer position. He said that the curriculum at FSU only “minimally covered project engineering” so his time at Team 1 was “very valuable.”

“This year was much different from last year,” said Hemgesberg. “This year, I spent most of my time in the office while last year I was on the production floor almost every single day. It has been valuable to have a second internship at Team 1 because I got to see both sides of the production environment.” Hemgesberg listed some of the tasks which he has accomplished this summer: making Tool Correction Instructions, creating packaging proposals, working on Engineering trials, and creating Excel templates.

“I learned a lot about what is happening in the background of a tool launch, and how important communicating with customers and toolmakers is to keep the shop running smoothly and on-time. This internship has prepared me for a possible future in Project Engineering.”

To earn a Bachelor’s degree in the Plastics Engineering program at FSU, students are required to have two internships – something which Goyola says she loves about the program. “Internships are a great way to get your feet wet in the field and determine if you like that company or not.”

For Goyola, who graduated from Tinley Park High School (in Tinley Park, Illinois), this summer at Team 1 was her first internship. “When I came to Team 1, my hope was to learn every part of the plastics plant and see what each area is like.” And that was exactly what she experienced. Goyola participated with the Maintenance Department on routine maintenance of the plastics injection molding presses and the molds, helped the Process Engineers with trial runs and problem solving, did part count studies with the Quality Department, worked with metrology, worked in the Warehouse preparing orders for delivery, and in the Assembly department putting parts together.

Interested in a career in food/packaging or medical plastics, Goyola said. “I came to Team 1 with no experience at all in plastics so having the rotational schedule was very nice to get a glimpse of each area. Learning the basics of a plastics company has given me a good introduction into my future career.”

Goyola said that she would “recommend an internship at Team 1, especially for first year interns. The rotational schedule is very beneficial.” She added, “I was surprised at how nice everyone is at Team 1. I was nervous coming in as ‘the intern,’ but they all welcomed me.”