What is your main field of study? Why did you choose to study this field? When will you graduate?
My main field of study was initially architecture. I studied at McGill University and obtained both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2022 and worked as an architect for several years after. However, while working, I always wondered what goes on behind the scenes. For instance, while my main job was to design buildings, I would frequently wonder how projects generated revenue, why we chose to pursue certain projects, and how we got those projects in the first place. I realized that I was more interested in the business aspect of the industry as opposed to the design side, contrary to many architects, and this realization pushed me to pursue my Master of Business Administration at John Molson School of Business. Studying business has not only been very informative but also very eye-opening! I got to network among business professionals who worked in many interesting companies in multiple industries, which introduced me to ABB and ultimately led me to my first internship at the company.
My main field of study was initially architecture. I studied at McGill University and obtained both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2022 and worked as an architect for several years after. However, while working, I always wondered what goes on behind the scenes. For instance, while my main job was to design buildings, I would frequently wonder how projects generated revenue, why we chose to pursue certain projects, and how we got those projects in the first place. I realized that I was more interested in the business aspect of the industry as opposed to the design side, contrary to many architects, and this realization pushed me to pursue my Master of Business Administration at John Molson School of Business. Studying business has not only been very informative but also very eye-opening! I got to network among business professionals who worked in many interesting companies in multiple industries, which introduced me to ABB and ultimately led me to my first internship at the company.
When did you start your internship and what made you join ABB? What was your first impression after joining?
ABB first sparked my interest due to the company’s sustainability initiatives. Coming from an architecture background, sustainability has always been very important to me, and it was ABB AbilityTM, in particular, a product that can be used in buildings to ensure both energy and cost savings, that prompted me to further research the company. I quickly discovered that ABB is involved in many industries beyond the buildings and infrastructure sector, such as process automation, power generation, and railway, to name a few. It became clear that I wanted to learn more about the company, and what better way to learn than from its employees! I decided to search for opportunities within the company and officially started my first internship in January 2024. While I initially joined the company out of interest in its innovative products, I quickly realized that what makes the company truly special are its people and culture. I’m happy and look forward to going to work every day, seeing employees that I can learn from, and who encourage my growth.What are your typical tasks? What kind of projects have you been working on?
My first internship began in January 2024 as a Continuous Improvement Specialist. I worked with the project management team to establish an optimized procedure for the team to follow while executing projects from initiation to closing. My day-to-day involved conducting interviews with employees from various departments such as project management, engineering, and sales to identify potential opportunities for optimization. I then pitched solutions to the project operations manager and discussed what would work best for the team. Afterward, I created documentation to implement procedures and organized several presentations to convey these changes to the business unit. This internship helped me understand how important procedures are in a business unit, not only for teams to operate effectively but also for saving time and money.
Working closely with the project management team throughout this internship sparked my interest in the role, which led me to my next internship as a Service Project Management Intern. In this role, I managed several service projects, specifically dispatching engineers to power plants across North America for clients who needed troubleshooting on their ABB equipment. My day-to-day involved collaborating with sales, field service engineers, and supply chain to ensure the qualified personnel were sent to sites, and that necessary parts were ordered from headquarters, tested as per engineering specifications, and shipped to the sites on time. This internship allowed me to get a glimpse at the immense responsibility our service engineers hold, and gain respect for how quickly and well they service our customers.
My first internship began in January 2024 as a Continuous Improvement Specialist. I worked with the project management team to establish an optimized procedure for the team to follow while executing projects from initiation to closing. My day-to-day involved conducting interviews with employees from various departments such as project management, engineering, and sales to identify potential opportunities for optimization. I then pitched solutions to the project operations manager and discussed what would work best for the team. Afterward, I created documentation to implement procedures and organized several presentations to convey these changes to the business unit. This internship helped me understand how important procedures are in a business unit, not only for teams to operate effectively but also for saving time and money.
Working closely with the project management team throughout this internship sparked my interest in the role, which led me to my next internship as a Service Project Management Intern. In this role, I managed several service projects, specifically dispatching engineers to power plants across North America for clients who needed troubleshooting on their ABB equipment. My day-to-day involved collaborating with sales, field service engineers, and supply chain to ensure the qualified personnel were sent to sites, and that necessary parts were ordered from headquarters, tested as per engineering specifications, and shipped to the sites on time. This internship allowed me to get a glimpse at the immense responsibility our service engineers hold, and gain respect for how quickly and well they service our customers.
What has been the most memorable moment for you during your time with ABB? Is there any specific event or meeting that stands out?
The most memorable moments from both of my internships have been getting to know the teams I’ve worked on, whether this be by working together, through team activities or even team lunches. They truly made my experience at ABB one to remember and are the reason why I learned so much throughout. They not only pushed me beyond my limits to speak with everyone from various business units and give presentations to upper management, but they made it fun along the way which is reflective of the ABB culture.
The most memorable moments from both of my internships have been getting to know the teams I’ve worked on, whether this be by working together, through team activities or even team lunches. They truly made my experience at ABB one to remember and are the reason why I learned so much throughout. They not only pushed me beyond my limits to speak with everyone from various business units and give presentations to upper management, but they made it fun along the way which is reflective of the ABB culture.