Premium Powers Internship Program take on a number of students and graduates throughout the year. In this series we hear from students at the end of their internship about their learning experience, what they’ll take from it and what advice they would give to engineers considering applying for a position at Premium Power. Here Ben O’Brien,who is studying for his Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Dublin Institute of Technology talks of his experience at Premium Power.
Why did you choose to apply to Premium Powers internship Program?
I chose to apply to Premium Power because I liked that they have expertise in many of the subjects within electrical power that I am interested in. I wanted to learn more about areas I’d touched on in my studies, such as protective device co-ordination, power quality, short circuit, arc flash and earthing. These were areas I wanted to have more knowledge in as I think it will stand to me in my future career, and Premium Power helped me with that.
How did you find working at Premium Power, did you enjoy it?
I found it a great place to work, not only are the people here very friendly, but they are also very knowledgeable and helpful. When I was starting off some things were very new to me but there was always someone there to show me the ropes.
What would you say were the key things you learned?
I really got to grips with the modelling software SKM from assisting on a large arc flash project where we saw how to build the model and then do the calculations. From this same project I learned a lot about arc flash and the common problems faced in industry regarding high level arcs and how to remedy them.
From assisting on a protective device co-ordination study I got a much greater knowledge of protective devices such as fuses and how there is much to know in that one area.
During this same project I engaged in correspondence with the client and I feel this really improved my communication skills.
As well as this, all of the above helped me improve on my team working skills, as all of the projects I was involved in included more than one engineer, and meetings and updates were a common occurrence.
How did your experience compare to the theory you are taught in college – what it is like to really get to grip with projects on the ground?
Prior to my work placement I lightly touched on some of the topic areas, but working here allowed me to really get a deeper understanding of these areas and what it is like to take on tasks based around these areas in the real world. Learning the theory in college is one thing but getting to work on a project for a real client and going to visit the site really brings the subject to life.
Has your experience changed where you plan on taking your engineering career?
I have always planned on going down the electrical power route in my career but if anything, working at Premium Power has opened my eyes to what goes into running an electrical engineering consultancy, whether it be networking, events, marketing or trying to expand as a business and I enjoyed that too.
What would you say to other students and graduates who are thinking of applying to Premium Powers Internship Program?
Do it, you will learn a huge amount in many different areas that will really stand to you when you start your professional career.
Describe your overall experience in three words?
Enjoyable, challenging, interesting.
To view current vacancies at Premium Power view our careers page.
View a short video of the arc flash services Premium Power provides
