Written by Emma Dinger and Eilee Keske
Josh Schleif and Olivia Boudjouk are seniors in the Bioproducts Engineering specialization. This summer, they both worked for Tetra Pak, a multi-national company specializing in food packaging and processing solutions. However, each had unique experiences during their internships, brought their own individual abilities, and learned different things. This highlights the diverse opportunities that exist in internships and co-ops, even within the same company.
Josh: Industrial Experimentation and Data Analysis
Josh Schleif spent the past summer completing an enriching internship with Tetra Pak in Minneapolis. He worked on several impactful projects, including updating an out-of-date valve and sensor list and utilizing innovative Excel formulas to streamline the process, making it easier for colleagues to identify the ideal components for their projects.
One particular highlight of Josh’s internship was getting to research and create a new process for injecting chemicals into a line. This involved conducting extensive research on various chemicals, and their optimal concentrations and flow rates. The result was a detailed process design specifying the necessary pumps, sensors, valves, and injection points. Josh especially enjoyed this project because it provided him with hands-on process engineering experience.
Another exciting part of the summer was when he traveled to Dodge City, Kansas to assist in setting up Tetra Pak machines at a dairy plant. This involved configuring wireless communication nodes, running air tubing, and conducting viability checks on the machines, all very important skills for consulting and application engineers.
Josh noted that his time at Tetra Pak allowed him to apply his education in a meaningful way, and he appreciated the feeling of trust and empowerment vested in him by his team. Although he faced challenges, particularly when working with complicated Excel formulas, he received invaluable support from knowledgeable coworkers, enabling him to enhance his technical skills and become more proactive in seeking additional responsibilities.
One particularly rewarding outcome was the implementation of the updated component list, which significantly improved the
efficiency of daily operations for the engineering team. This internship gave Josh experience in the consulting side of process engineering as well, a departure from his previous manufacturing roles. He now aims to pursue positions that blend technical consulting with engineering, and is interested in continuing work with Tetra Pak.
When asked to give advice for future interns, Josh responded that you should never hesitate to ask questions. While it may be intimidating, seeking clarity can prevent confusion and lead to greater understanding and success.
Overall, this internship not only strengthened his technical capabilities, but also provided a clearer direction for his career path in process engineering.
Olivia: Engineering Design and Implementation
Last summer, Olivia Boudjouk completed an internship with Tetra Pak in Winsted, MN where she got first-hand experience in all phases of the engineering process–from design to installation. The main project Olivia worked on was to mitigate membrane fouling during skim milk production. She learned a lot about the physical properties of milk and the operating principles of reverse osmosis systems.
Another rewarding project was developing a tool that could recommend valves based on project restraints. This tool was implemented and will have a tangible impact on the operations at Tetra Pak.
During her internship, Olivia got to apply several concepts that were covered in class, such as AutoCAD, Excel, fluid mechanics, and engineering design. But while Olivia believes BBE classes set her up for success in her internship, she also noted the challenge of learning all the terminology and specifics for a certain industry.
School teaches you the fundamentals, but the way the fundamentals are applied can vary drastically from industry to industry. Interns have to learn about regulations and other business concerns that might not be covered in course materials. Specific to the Tetra Pak internship were the very stringent food safety regulations that apply to dairy manufacturing plants.
Thanks to her internship experience, Olivia has a better understanding of where she wants to go with her career. She mentioned that she really enjoys getting to see multiple sections of the design process and seeing how projects go from the initial stages to implementation. She found the food industry to be extremely interesting because preparing organic materials for human
consumption involves a lot of complexity.
As for advice to future interns, Olivia says not to be afraid to accept an internship in a field you may not know much about or be very confident in. At first, she wasn’t sure that she would like the food industry, but by giving the internship a chance she discovered she really enjoyed it.
Similar to Josh, Olivia emphasized that internships are a great way to learn, so make sure to ask a lot of questions! With only three months in an internship, it’s important to speak up for yourself and ensure you are getting as much knowledge as you can. Plus, asking questions shows initiative and passion while also providing you with answers that will help you in the long run.