Purdue News
Purdue NewsNOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Color photos of both interns on the job at their respective companies are available from the Technical Assistance Program at (765) 494-6258.
January 17, 1997
For more than 10 years, TAP has provided university resources to help more than 2,000 Indiana businesses, industries and government organizations implement new and advanced technologies to boost the state's economy.
Since 1988, almost 300 students have found jobs through TAP's Summer Intern Program.
"Without question, one of the most valuable resources we offer Indiana companies is our students," said Mike Rydson, summer intern program coordinator. "Our students provide valuable manpower and a pipeline to expert faculty advice."
The program also allows companies to select students who are ideally suited for project needs, Rydson said.
"We make every effort to find local students for each position," he said. "Interns are available from all 15 Purdue campuses and Statewide Technology sites, and almost two-thirds of our interns are from their employer's local area."
TAP's broadly based program and curriculum allow companies to fill almost any need, Rydson said.
"Undergraduate and graduate engineering, technology and management students are available to help companies with a broad range of topics," he said. "They are qualified to assist with projects ranging from computer graphics implementation and computer programming to plant layout and product design."
Among the Indiana companies that have taken advantage of TAP's intern program are Hitachi Cable Indiana Inc., New Albany; Fluidrive Inc., Brookston; ComPonX Inc., North Vernon; Ventra Corp., Columbus; Floating Docks Manufacturing Co., Indianapolis; and Master Machine Corp., Indianapolis.
Ventra Corp., a leading manufacturer of air and fluid reservoirs, hired a TAP intern because of Purdue's reputation as a national leader in engineering.
"Purdue is recognized as having one of the best engineering programs in the country," said Richard Lewis, quality assurance manager for Ventra. "It was nice to find somebody with experience who could come in and provide immediate and valuable assistance. I'll be looking at Purdue again this summer."
John T. Best, a senior in mechanical engineering from Elkhart , interned at Ventra Corp. in 1996. His experiences show how both company and intern benefit from the program.
"Ventra Corp. hired me to help them gain QS 9000 certification -- a set of quality requirements that the 'Big Three' automakers have adopted for all of their suppliers," Best said. "I gained valuable 'hands-on' experience, and Ventra was able to establish and implement procedures that ultimately met QS 9000 standards."
Jody A. Knoll, a senior in mechanical engineering technology from Plainfield , also interned last summer. She worked for Floating Docks Manufacturing Corp., which manufactures and installs customized decks in waterways throughout the Midwest. Knoll used AutoCAD to develop a library of part designs to automate the company's support paperwork system.
"Previously, all of the technical illustrations were done by hand," Knoll said. "It was my job to begin the transition to creating all of their illustrations by computer, using AutoCAD. They wanted someone who could use up-to-date technology and education to revamp their existing system and help them see where they were headed."
TAP's interns are in high demand, and companies interested in hiring should inquire early in the year, Rydson said. Salary is negotiated by the company and the student. Write to the Summer Intern Program Coordinator, Technical Assistance Program, Purdue University, 1284 Civil Engineering Building, West Lafayette, Ind. 47907-1284, or call Rydson at (765) 494-6258, or send e-mail to tap@ecn.purdue.edu
vbh/rydson.tap/9701f22
Sources: Mike Rydson, (765) 494-6258; e-mail, tap@ecn.purdue.edu
John T. Best, (765) 746-3284; e-mail, john.t.best.1@purdue.edu
Jody A. Knoll, (765) 463-3520
Richard Lewis, (812) 378-0028
Writer: Victor B. Herr, (765) 494-2077; e-mail, victor_herr@purdue.edu
