Chantal Ullyett, Class of 2020

What drew you to materials engineering? McMaster specifically?

Materials engineering is what I used to think of when I thought of engineering. I just didn't know it at the time. Then once first year rolled around, and I was exposed to the type of things and thinking I knew it was what I wanted to do... or something like that.

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

I knew that an internship would help me solidify a job after graduation. It allows for experience in a field related to your degree where you're allowed to see how your learning is actually related to the real world. Once you have some experience in the job field, it allows you to be that much more likely to be chosen for a job after graduation. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

Meetings in the morning to discuss the last 24 hours of production, then you can analyze any defects that might be abnormal, and/or deal with any defects that might be consistently out of control, and then you can work on project work. 

How has your co-op experience affected your plans post-graduation?

It helped me solidify a position in the company at which I had my coop because I was able to figure out what I enjoyed because of my coop.

What is the best advice you can give to an aspiring 1st or 2nd year engineering student interested in materials engineering when it comes to searching and choosing an internship?

Honestly, don't give up. It's hard to find internships and coops after first and second year because you don't know enough for most companies to find you useful. So it can be difficult, but there are enough jobs within the diverse stream of materials engineering that you will eventually find something.