Mechanical Engineering Co-Op Story: Club Car
Bryce Little
Mechanical Engineering
What company or organization did you co-op with and where are they located?
I had my first co-op rotation with Club Car, located in Augusta, Georgia.
How did you identify and apply for your co-op? Are there any specific resources you used to find the opportunity (i.e. Handshake, career fairs, other recruitment events)?
As an Augusta local, I was aware of the co-op opportunity at Club Car, and I was ecstatic when I discovered they were coming to Auburn for the career fair! I went a to resume workshop, mock interviews, and had my resume edited, all at the Auburn CDCR office. I applied for the co-op position and secured a time-block for the interview through Handshake.
What was the application process like?
Applying was relatively simple. I applied through handshake, and all that was required to apply was my resume and an approved co-op rotation plan(s).
Tell us about your co-op 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 was involved in multiple engineering disciplines. I gained experience in new product development, testing, sustainability, and prototyping. I learned the most through the summer co-op project. Our project was to construct a functional prototype golf car, with accurate CAD that was consistent with the physical prototype.
In what ways did your co-op experience help you prepare for your next destination after Auburn?
This experience gave me reassurance that mechanical engineering is for me. I was able to interact, learn from, and observe multiple other engineering fields, and the mechanical side of every project was what I would often find most engaging.
In what ways did your coursework or other experiences at Auburn prepare you for your co-op work experience? Are there specific topics or skills you learned from classes that you put into practice on the job?
My experience with coursework and class projects gave me tools that I was able to apply to many areas of my experience.
Are there specific topics or skills you learned from class that you put into practice on the job?
Force and moment equations, from statics class, were used in multiple instances that benefited my work at Club Car. Skills in CAD software through projects and classes at Auburn allowed me to have a secure footing in the tasks I was assigned at Club Car.
Do you have any advice for other students seeking an experience like yours?
Plan ahead, research the company beforehand, and prepare for interviews extensively. It is much better to come overprepared!