Janie is spending her summer as an engineering intern at Janicki’s Utah campus, where she works on the metallics team. Going into her senior year at Utah State University, she is pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering with a focus in aerospace.

Her day-to-day duties at Janicki vary, as she reports to multiple mentors who assign her projects that align with the metallics team’s goals. This hands-on exposure has provided her with a broad view of how engineering teams operate in an industrial setting.

On campus, Janie is involved in several engineering-related organizations. She is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, where she competes in an annual trebuchet-building contest, and also participates in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, contributing to projects related to HVAC systems.

Janie’s interest in engineering began in middle school when she took a STEM elective with an engineering focus. She was immediately hooked. In high school, she competed on her school’s engineering team building model cars, though she admits she didn’t fully understand what engineers did until later.

One of the biggest surprises during her internship has been the transition from classroom learning to the real-world industry.

“Some of the academic concepts apply,” she said, “but implementing them practically is a very different experience.”

Despite the challenge, she sees it as a valuable opportunity to grow.

Her advice for future interns:

“Soak everything up. Now is your time to learn as much as you can.”

Looking ahead, Janie plans to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in spring 2026, begin a master’s program and eventually enter the engineering industry. She has enjoyed her experiences in aerospace and HVAC so far, but she is also interested in exploring automation in the future.

Written by Avery, 2025 Human Resources Intern

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