Chemical Engineering Co-Op Story: SABIC

Megan Davis

Chemical Engineering

What company did you intern with and where are they located?

SABIC | Burkville, AL

How did you identify and apply for your internship? Are there any specific resources you used to find the opportunity (i.e. Handshake, career fairs, other recruitment events)?

I found this position through AIChE meetings and Auburn Career Fairs. I used the CDCR to help with my resume, interview preparation, and general questions about what the process and experience are like.

What was the application process like?

The application process was simple and easy to follow. I had an interview with SABIC from the Career Fair, they sent an email asking for additional information, and I simply filled out the information they needed.

Tell us about your internship experience. What types of tasks and projects did you engage in? Was there a particular project or part of the experience you learned the most from?

I helped plan the inspection of a couple vessels, lead housekeeping audits, but my favorite was managing railcar unloading. I was the overseer for our unloading area and process where I learned about how plants receive raw materials, how it can sometimes be overlooked, and how crucial it is to keep the plant running. When I first started working on this project, we had four of eleven stations operational. By my last day, we were able to unload from ten of the eleven stations because the eleventh station could not be fixed outside of a shutdown.

In what ways did this internship help you prepare for your next destination after Auburn?

This experience allowed me to solidify what I learned from my classes as well as prepared me for the classes I have not yet taken. It is one thing to hear about different pieces of equipment in class, it is completely different to see them in action.

In what ways did your coursework or other experiences at Auburn prepare you for your internships? Are there specific topics or skills you learned from classes that you put into practice on the job?

My coursework provided a fundamental basis of the processes used as well as how to read and interpret charts and diagrams. The only thing that was really applicable to my projects was reading process flow diagrams (PFDs) and piping and instrument drawings (P&IDs).

Do you have any advice for other students looking for internships like yours?

Do not be afraid of trying new things. Being students, most people are aware we still have heaps of things to learn. Be patient with yourself, know it is is ok to make mistakes, learn from them, and use your unique experiences.