Jesse A. McComb – 2019 Don B. Daily Safety Intern
As a result of being awarded the Don B. Daily Steel Intern Scholarship, I was able to spend my summer with SMS group Inc. within the technical service division, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
During my time spent with SMS, I was split between the Washington, Pa., USA workshop and working as a corporate intern. Through working at different levels of the company, I was able to learn a lot about SMS and the industry in general, develop a wide range of skills and be a part of some very interesting projects.
While working at the Washington facility, I developed my communication as well as my leadership skills by leading monthly trainings and meetings. I also worked closely with the employees on the shop floor to address their needs whether it a new tool, new rigging or better personal protective equipment (PPE). One of the larger projects I was a part of was developing the skills of the safety committee. I was able to get them trained and certified in a variety of topics, including incident investigation training and crane/forklift trainer certification. By doing this, the safety committee became better prepared to be mentors and safety advocates on the shop floor. It was exciting to be there and help them develop these skills, which, in turn, saw them take more interest in workplace safety. Furthermore, while working as a corporate intern, I had the opportunity to create multiple trainings. Through this, I was able to improve my training development skills significantly. I also got the opportunity to travel to multiple workshops which was interesting because not all facilities work on the same type of equipment. This allowed me to learn about the unique steps in steel manufacturing and the role each piece of equipment plays throughout the process. One of the larger projects I was a part of at the corporate level was developing 5S training and the accompanying handbook. I thoroughly enjoyed this project because I had the chance to work with a great group of people and learn a new concept.
Overall, my time spent at SMS group Inc. has been a fantastic learning experience. I developed multiple skills that will be of extraordinary use going out into the workforce this coming December.
Thank you to AIST for granting me the Don B. Daily Steel Intern Scholarship and the opportunity for the great experience. To any future safety professionals, I highly recommend applying; you will learn a lot about an amazing industry.