Alyssa Haas, Class of 2021

What is your level and specialization (if applicable) in the materials engineering program?

I am in the Materials Engineering and Society Program and have completed Level 4 of 5. 

What drew you to materials engineering? McMaster specifically?

When I started out in first year, I thought I wanted to take chemical engineering, and it wasn’t until I actually became exposed to materials engineering that I realized this was where I wanted to be. The professor was so animated and obviously loved what he was doing, and every upper-year student or professor that I talked in the field seemed to have a real joy for what they were doing. Now, I couldn’t be happier with my choice to study materials engineering. Learning about the structure and properties of steel and materials for all kinds of applications has further reinforced my own joy and excitement towards materials engineering.

Specific to McMaster, one of the reasons I was drawn to McMaster University was because of the general first year. I liked the idea of being able to change my mind about my stream once I got a feel for the engineering courses. I’m so glad I made the choice to come here, it has now become my home-away-from-home.

Why were you interested in pursuing a co-op/internship position?

I think co-ops and internships are the perfect way to learn more about the kind of career you want in the future. It provides much more exposure into specific industries and allows you to see real-world applications of what you are learning. For myself, I am still unsure which direction to go once I graduate, so I am using my co-op experiences as a chance to see what industries I like or dislike to help plan for my future.

What company are you working in? What is your job title?

I work at Celestica, Newmarket. I am the materials lab intern.

How did you find your internship? (OscarPlus, networking, Indeed, etc.)

I was trying to pick courses for the second semester of my 4th year and having a hard time choosing between electives. I began searching online to see what job opportunities were available in different areas to help with my decision. I found the job posting on Celestica’s website and decided to apply.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My day-to-day tasks vary greatly, as the Newmarket site Materials Lab has many types of jobs that may come in. As a result, I generally work on a large number of jobs each day. One of the major tasks I perform is x-ray observation of parts; checking for defects in assemblies done by Celestica or some of our customers. Another frequent job is cross-sectioning of printed circuit boards, which is done in order to determine plating thickness and other internal characteristics. I also help run the thermal conditioning chambers in the lab; taking boards from the manufacturing floor, or outside customers, and setting them up to receive hot and cold cycles. Aside from this and other lab work, I am also in charge of the department’s continuous improvement suggestions. Everyone at the site is required to come up with ideas that improve efficiency. I collect all of the data and present it once a month to leadership at the site.

How has materials engineering prepared you for this position? What concepts have you learned in school that apply to your job?

Through school, I learned how to grind and polish samples, which are necessary skills for my role here at Celestica. Also, through the work in cross-sectioning, it has been important to understand microstructure and etching characteristics. Aside from technical skills; being in materials engineering and working in groups, both in class and in extra-curriculars, has prepared me for better collaboration in the workplace.

What skills have you learned that you will be able to apply to the rest of your engineering studies? In your next job?

I have been able to put my multi-tasking and organization skills to great use, with the large number of jobs coming in and out of the lab. These will be helpful in my final year of studies as well as my career. I further solidified my knowledge of material preparation and observation, including cross-sectioning and the use of instruments such as the Scanning Electron Microscope, the X-Ray Machine and Heat/Humidity Chambers. While all of these may not be directly useful in my future jobs, the knowledge base I gain from understanding how this equipment operates is very valuable.

What has been the most memorable experience?

I don’t think I could point out one occasion, but I’d say thinking back to the beginning of the internship and realizing how far I’ve come is really motivating. When I started my training with the intern before me, I never thought I could learn everything he knew. But now, I have learned all of the processes and equipment that he knew and continue to be given more responsibilities every day in the labs.

What advice would you give to other materials engineering students considering doing an internship?

Try to use this experience to help prepare you for the future. It is a great opportunity to learn more about what types of work you enjoy doing, and it provides valuable hands-on experience that you can’t really get in a classroom, not to mention the life skills you will learn by joining the workforce even just for this short time.

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