Discover your passions early on through industry mentorship
Early career exploration continues to be a vital part of high schoolers’ preparation for selecting the right degree, eventually leading to greater career satisfaction. Many schools in the Columbus, OH, area recognize the growing need for professional mentorship opportunities. Programs such as the Olentangy STEM Academy are raising the bar for prepping students to garner real-world experience before graduation. For Olentangy senior Grace Nguyen, participating in a STEM-focused mentorship class would lead her to Design Central.
When Grace’s internship coordinator, Mrs. Wade, discovered she was planning to pursue engineering, she knew precisely where to match her interests. A previous Olentangy student of Mrs. Wade’s, Gauri Joshi, spent her mentorship shadowing Design Central team members, who gave her the tools and guidance to build upon her creative design skill set. Mrs. Wade noticed Grace’s similar desire to work in an innovative and passionate environment and knew Design Central would be a perfect fit.
This fall, Grace shadowed various team members, both designers and engineers, and experienced the design process first-hand. Looking back on her experience, Grace mentions how she loved Design Central’s collaborative expertise, noting that we offer clients a broad range of talents and backgrounds all in one team.
“My favorite part about shadowing at Design Central would be the variety that is within the company. The variety of projects happening simultaneously – from transportation, surgical devices, and even cooking meant there were many things that I could investigate. Additionally, there is such a wide range of people here. Various team members can give a perspective of their field and what they have worked on.”
Grace’s mentorship experience will stick with her for years to come. Upon selecting her future Alma Mater, she feels reassured in her decision to pursue an engineering degree. Her experience at Design Central has provided her with a well-grounded basis for the topics and innovative tools and technology she will touch on as a student.
“There is technology that I do not have to wait till college or work to learn, but rather, I can build upon the skill I have right now. I can continue to work on projects with electrical circuits, SolidWorks, and other engineering tools (3D printers, CNC machines, electrical circuits, etc.) to better understand or comprehend the tools on hand.”
Are you or someone you know interested in a similar experience as Grace? Design Central offers internship opportunities year-round and is always interested in connecting with high-school students looking for the ideal mentorship opportunity.
Connect with us here: https://designcentral.com/careers
