Aerospace Engineering Co-op Story: IS4S and Fokker Services Group
Tucker Strane
Aerospace Engineering
What company did you co-op with and where are they located?
My first Co-op was with Integrated Solutions for Systems (IS4S) in Opelika, AL, and my second was with Fokker Services Group in LaGrange, GA.
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)?
I got connected with IS4S through one of the Career fairs in the Spring semester of 2022! I applied for an interview first through Handshake, and further got connected with them at the Career fair! For Fokker Services, I actually got reached out to personally after the Career fair in the Spring semester of 2023! Fokker Services was relatively new in joining the Co-op program at Auburn.
What was the application process like?
The application process was quick and easy! For my first Co-op, Handshake was so helpful narrowing down the Aerospace companies that were going to be at the career fair. It helped me to find IS4S, learn more about their company, and apply for an interview!
With Fokker Services, they reached out to all of the Aerospace students in the Co-op department. The CDCR office, with their amazing people, itself is such a great resource! They will truly help push you forward in your future career!
Tell us about your 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 learned so much at both IS4S and Fokker Services!
At IS4S, I worked on various Energetic projects, such as electrical, mechanical, and explosive testing. I got to work on projects as small as redirecting current on a circuit board to as big as helping the Senior engineers build a new Wind tunnel for Aerospace testing! My favorite project of all was my personal engineering project I got to present at the end of my Co-op semester. I drew designs for a Remote Trigger System to fire a weapon wirelessly! I had to do a lot of research on the proper materials to use and the correct techniques to further implement my design!
At Fokker Services, I conducted over 10 structural engineering projects under my Engineering manager! They consisted of various kinds of valves such as Bleed, Butterfly, and Pressure relief valves for numerous types of aircraft! I even got to learn a few things about their Air Cycle Machines! For each project, I wrote substantiation and technical reports to satisfy FAA requirements. Every project I worked on at Fokker was unique and I learned something new every time. My favorite part of working on each of those projects was working under my Engineering manager, JP. He was, and still is, the greatest mentor and has helped me to dive deep into every project and has continually pushed me out of my comfort zone. That is exactly what I longed to get out of the Co-op and Internship Program!
In what ways did this experience help you prepare for your next destination after Auburn?
Both of these companies have provided numerous opportunities for me to grow and learn in a real engineering environment. These challenging experiences pushed me out of my comfort zone, taught me how to work with other engineers as a team, and further prepared and equipped me with the skills I need for my future career after Auburn!
In what ways did your coursework or other experiences at Auburn prepare you for your co-op? Are there specific topics or skills you learned from classes that you put into practice on the job?
I got to apply the knowledge that I learned in my Mechanics of Materials, Thermodynamics, and Aerospace Structures I and II classes! These classes equipped me with the knowledge I needed to tackle the various electrical, mechanical, and aerospace focused projects!
Do you have any advice for other students looking for an opportunity like yours?
Being a part of the Co-op and Internship program is one of the best decisions you can make in your college career at Auburn. My greatest piece of advice is do not be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone! An Auburn Aerospace alumni once told me, "Being uncomfortable is where training begins". You will learn many new and important skills that will grow you more into a true Auburn engineer!