Intern Spotlight: Keeping Things in Spec, Quality Control in the Color Lab
Putting on his lab coat in the morning, Alec Hansen prepares for his day’s work of testing samples in the lab. A Lab Technician Intern at First Source Worldwide, LLC (FSW), Alec enjoys the experience he’s gaining in a professional laboratory. “I get to be a part of the work flow. I’m not just submitting lab reports on routine experiments like in class,” he says. Working with FSW has allowed him to gain the lab experience he’s been searching for since graduation.
A Chemistry graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Alec enjoys working hands-on in the lab facility. Now pursuing his Master’s in Business Administration, he hopes to pair his schooling with the internship to prepare himself for a leadership position in the chemistry industry. “The internship has allowed me to get the lab experience I needed, while having the flexibility to adapt to my class schedule,” Alec explains. Working in the lab three days a week allows him the time he needs to attend and prep for his classes.
Alec spends most of his day testing samples taken from production batches. Alongside his team of Lab Associates and the Colorants Lab Manager, Alec checks for accuracy to customer requirements through a set of standardized tests. Working out of the main FSW lab, he handles samples from a wide variety of industries and ranging from pigments to chemicals. His favorite tests are of leather products, since they are more involved procedures. He’s had good training to learn these processes, “The preliminary training and guidance I’ve received so far in the program has been rewarding, I enjoy being a part of the overall production process for the company,” Alec says. “It’s much different from class. I control a piece of the process where my work directly affects what happens to our end product, it’s much more fulfilling.”
Ultimately choosing FSW for his internship, Alec liked the exposure he would gain through the program. “I felt it was a great opportunity that would give me the basic laboratory knowledge I needed in the field,” he says. Working directly with the Colorants Lab Manager, Alec learns and works with experienced chemists with years of insight, “It’s a good work environment and very similar to what I’d like to work in the future.” With the team culture in the lab, flexible work hours, and strong preliminary training he’s experienced so far, he’s excited to continue next semester and take on additional responsibilities. “The training I’ve had my first few months has been thorough, I feel prepared to take on more projects in the next stage of my internship.”
Do you envision yourself in this position? Gain similar experience and explore our internship opportunities to advance your career.
About the Author: Courtney Cerniglia
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