The Quad Summer Internship Series
Patrick White, LyondellBasell Industries
Houston, Texas
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Position: Reliability Engineer Intern
School: University of Illinois Major: Mechanical Engineering Year: Senior How did you get the internship?
In the fall of 2013, there was a networking event held by the Mechanical Engineering department at U of I and I spoke with a young engineer representing LyondellBasell. About a month later, LyondellBasell came on campus for a career fair at which I received an invitation for an on-campus interview the next day. The interview led to a summer internship offer, which I ultimately accepted.
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What’s a typical day for you like?
A typical day begins with a morning meeting with various people including Reliability Engineers, Process Engineers, Environmental Engineers, operation specialists, and maintenance coordinators to go through an update of the current status of our section of the refinery.
After the morning meeting I will often go out into the plant with my mentor or an inspector to look at and assess a piece of equipment or piping that is of concern at the given time.
The rest of the day usually consists of me working on my various projects, and assisting the other engineers with their ongoing projects.
After the morning meeting I will often go out into the plant with my mentor or an inspector to look at and assess a piece of equipment or piping that is of concern at the given time.
The rest of the day usually consists of me working on my various projects, and assisting the other engineers with their ongoing projects.
What is your favorite part about this opportunity and what is the most challenging part about it?
This is my first time in an industrial environment, so I would have to say that one of my favorite parts is being able to work around such large and powerful equipment. Another one of my favorite parts is definitely the people at LyondellBasell, they are very knowledgeable and truly want to help develop the young interns.
I would say the most challenging part of the internship has been getting used to the terminology and commonly used acronyms since I have never worked in a refinery or chemical plant before.
I would say the most challenging part of the internship has been getting used to the terminology and commonly used acronyms since I have never worked in a refinery or chemical plant before.
What advice would you give to future interns to maximize their experience?
I would advise future interns to meet as many people as possible right off the bat and to start building a network of engineers in various departments.
Additionally, I would advise them to take advantage of every opportunity to go out into the refinery. Even if it may not be directly applicable to a project you are working on, you can always learn something new out in the field.
Additionally, I would advise them to take advantage of every opportunity to go out into the refinery. Even if it may not be directly applicable to a project you are working on, you can always learn something new out in the field.
How will you apply the work you’re doing here to your college experience?
I will be able to apply many things from LyondellBasell to my college classes. The projects I have been involved with have strengthened my problem solving skills and have forced me to think in new ways. I also feel much more confident in my ability to present technical material to groups such as in class presentations.
Is there anything else you would like to add about what makes your internship unique?
LyondellBasell invests a lot of time and effort into making sure their interns are properly trained to do their jobs safely and effectively. The company gathered all of the interns from across the country to attend a three-day training session at the beginning of the summer internship to teach us about process safety, various equipment, and operations in a chemical manufacturing facility.
If you have any more questions about the position or Patrick's experience tweet us @Quad_News
