Kayla Baker, Class of 2021
MTI engineering intern at ArcelorMittal Dofasco
“I have always described myself as an organized person, but this job has shown me how to apply organization to an actual workplace setting.”
What drew you to materials engineering? McMaster specifically?
I chose materials because I always was interested in pursuing a career in research. At the time I also knew I was super fascinated by the promise of "nanomaterials", but I was also aware of the several different applications, and figured I would find the application that most interested me after a few more in-depth courses. And in terms of choosing McMaster, I remember just loving the environment and community when I visited the first couple of times.
Why were you interested in pursuing a co-op/internship position?
I never had a plan to take an internship position set in stone. I have no strict 10-year career plan that I feel I must stick to. That is why when the opportunity presented itself, I was happy to accept it. However, if I had never found a co-op opportunity that really intrigued me, I would have also been happy to continue straight into my fourth year.
What company are you working for? What is your job title?
I work for ArcelorMittal Dofasco Global R&D. My title is MTI Engineering Intern.
How did you find your internship?
I found a job posting on OscarPlus.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I arrive to work and check my emails for information from my boss about all new incoming cases. Usually, about 3-5 new cases arrive on a daily basis. I check to see which cases have been assigned to me, as well as which cases have been assigned to my co-workers that I will need to do sample prep for them. Then I usually spend my morning doing all the sample prep needed for that day, followed by an afternoon of working on my own cases. Some of my typical cases include microstructure analysis, grain size analysis, coating thickness measurements, ASPEX, SEM imaging, and SEM-EDS. Some days I will need to write a report of all my findings, but not all cases require a report.
How has materials engineering prepared you for this position? What concepts have you learned in school that apply to your job?
I was already fairly familiar with most of the lab equipment from labs in school. The concepts learned in classes which I apply most to my work include grain growth/coarsening, microstructure characteristics, cold working, annealing, and mechanical properties.
What skills have you learned that you will be able to apply to the rest of your engineering studies in your next job?
One skill that I have learned/strengthened in this position that I will value the most going forward is organization. When I am dealing with multiple cases each day, where samples will begin to all look alike, but they all have slightly varied needs in the lab it is very, very important for me to
keep perfect track of what is done and what needs to be done. I have always described myself as an organized person, but this job has shown me how to apply organization to an actual workplace setting.
What has been the most memorable experience?
November 6th was "take your kid to work" day. Since through previous summer jobs, I have had lots of experience using a scanning electron microscope, and I am fairly knowledgeable about the theory behind how one works. So, one take your kid to work day I volunteered to run a session where I gave the kids a brief intro on how SEM works, what we use it for, and showed them cool high magnification pictures of bugs just for fun. It was a great, rewarding experience, as well as I received lots of positive feedback from parents and other co-workers. I was happy to showcase some of my knowledge and help out on such a busy day for the company.
What advice would you give to other materials engineering students considering doing an internship?
My advice would be to make sure you look for jobs postings that actually sound interesting and enjoyable to you, especially if doing a work term longer than 4 months. In my opinion, it is not worth it to apply to every single job on OscarPlus, but more beneficial to put extra effort into applications to positions you really wish to pursue.
