Nathan L. Roberts – 2022 Steel Intern Scholar
I am thankful that I was able to participate in an internship with Cleveland Cliffs–Rockport Works in the infrastructure maintenance department as a mechanical engineering intern. I worked on projects and gained valuable insight from industry professionals in a variety of engineering fields including mechanical, electrical, civil, automation and process control. The knowledge and skills I were able to gain and reinforce during this internship will enhance my future professional career.
Working under the mentorship of Cole Konerding was a very fulfilling and rewarding experience. On my first day, Cole had already selected and planned out projects for my completion that would develop and improve essential engineering skills. I was able to design my own parts and machines from a fully defined problem to a tangible solution that directly impacts our material handling. My delegated contributions and tasks carried significant impact and improvements to our automatic guided vehicle (AGV) electromechanical components including charging pads, charging shoes, end cap covers, protective doors, stabilizer arm covers, power monitoring, and various other components. These improvements have already and will continue to reduce AGV downtime and upkeep costs as well as provide increased impact resistance and longevity. I am so thankful to be given freedom in redesigning these parts and maximizing their effectiveness to foster continuous improvement. These essential machines distribute flat-rolled steel coils across our plant and are integral to the distribution and material handling processes.
Cole insisted on being very hands-on and practical with solutions to problems, which created a well-rounded and balanced approach to engineering. He taught me to focus on the impact that my projects would have on the people and equipment that keep the plant operational and profitable every single day. These skills will be invaluable to me in both my professional and academic careers, but perhaps the most important skills I learned were in my communication and organization. Simultaneously assuming a large role in many projects requires close attention to detail and organization to effectively gain progress. This diversified workload also helped me to see the bigger picture of my projects and maintain interest and fascination with them. In addition to this, my skills of interpersonal communication with technicians, contractors and members of management were honed to better prepare myself for post-graduate industry. The freedom and autonomy that were given allowed me to develop relationships and friendships that will last a lifetime and reap future benefits. Cleveland-Cliffs has built an atmosphere which promotes cooperation and unity conducive to the professional growth of students like me.
Cleveland-Cliffs is a company that truly cares about the safety and well-being of their employees that has expanded my horizons and instilled life lessons in me beyond the workforce. I am very grateful to both Cleveland Cliffs and the AIST Foundation for this opportunity. My supervisors and coworkers were fantastic regarding creating an environment where interns can flourish and make a significant difference in the workforce. This wonderful experience has reinforced my desire to stay within the steel industry upon graduation and bolster my professional career within it.