- Brief Description of STEP Signature Project: My STEP Signature Project involved a 12-week Mechanical Engineering internship at GABUSOFT, where I worked on advanced CAD modeling systems to assist in the design and development of innovative consumer products. I collaborated with a team of engineers, engaged in project planning, and problem-solving tasks to contribute to the company’s high-quality product innovations.
- Transformation in Understanding: Completing my STEP Signature Project significantly transformed how I view problem-solving and teamwork. Before the internship, I saw myself primarily as an individual contributor, confident in my technical skills but not fully appreciating the importance of collaborative work. Through this experience, I realized that engineering solutions often require a collective effort, and my ability to communicate ideas effectively and integrate feedback from others is just as critical as my technical expertise. This understanding shifted my view of engineering from a purely technical challenge to one that balances interpersonal dynamics and technical know-how.
- Key Events Leading to Transformation: A pivotal event that sparked this change occurred during a project in my third week. Our team was tasked with redesigning a consumer product to improve its efficiency while reducing production costs. During brainstorming sessions, I initially felt confident about my ideas and designs but was faced with constructive criticism from my peers. At first, this was challenging for me to accept, as I assumed my technical approach would be superior. However, through continuous discussions and feedback from Victor Alister, my manager, I realized that my teammates’ perspectives were crucial for refining and improving my design.Another key aspect was my growing involvement in project planning. I was assigned the responsibility of presenting our progress in weekly meetings, which allowed me to practice translating complex technical designs into more accessible concepts. This exercise not only improved my communication skills but also helped me value the input from non-technical members of the team, such as marketing professionals, who provided insights into how our designs would align with consumer needs.Lastly, the collaborative nature of our work in CAD modeling, where we would troubleshoot errors and optimize designs as a group, reinforced the idea that innovation thrives in diverse environments. The relationships I built during this process helped me learn how to ask for help, take feedback positively, and contribute more meaningfully to collective goals.
- Significance of the Transformation: This transformation is valuable because it aligns directly with my academic and professional goals. As a mechanical engineering major, I now understand that my success in this field will depend not only on my technical abilities but also on my teamwork, communication, and adaptability. Professionally, this change has strengthened my desire to work in collaborative engineering environments where innovation is driven by a shared vision. It has also prepared me to contribute more effectively to future projects, especially in roles that require leadership and the ability to integrate various perspectives into cohesive solutions.
The image above was one of the projects I had to do. It entailed making a piece to one of their machinery parts so it can have easier access to fix over-time.