Transition from Co-op to Employee and Why Many Choose Huffman Engineering
Blog post by Alex Winking, Mechanical Engineer
Alex Winking
There is always a learning curve from college to a professional career. Huffman Engineering has made my transition seamless. I started as a Co-op the summer of 2012. I had more questions than answers when I first started, but I was always learning. The Huffman Engineering philosophy is to not just give you the answers to questions, but to take the time and go through the process of how to get to the answer. Whether that is walking through procedures, job specifications, or pointing you to a similar job that had been done in the past as a reference. There are always plenty of resources here for new employees to use as they continue their learning.
The Huffman Engineering team is full of people that are not only knowledgeable but are able and eager to share their own understanding and expertise. New employees are introduced to a mentor upon employment. The mentor is available to answer any questions new employees might have. Mentors help when individuals get stuck without giving too much information. I found out from experience that struggling with something can help an individual learn better rather than being spoon fed information. The key I found, was to have a guided struggle, always moving forward with the task at hand. The mentoring program allows individuals to succeed at a brisk pace with guidance.
On completion of my Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Nebraska, I started full time with Huffman Engineering in January 2015. I felt as if I was already an important member of the Huffman Engineering team. The transition was seamless. Many recent graduates also gravitate to the company because of the defined culture. Integrity is a large part of Huffman Engineering’s core. The entire Huffman team has strong moral principles to make honest, ethical choices pertaining to their customers. Customers can be sure that each team member strives to understand what is being said and provide honest recommendations. Other character traits that are stressed at Huffman Engineering are competency, dependability, optimism, and tactfulness.
Huffman Engineering is a place of growth: there is always something new to learn. Personal development is stressed as an important aspect of being part of the Huffman Engineering team. During orientation, you are told to Listen, Learn, Do it well, Pass it on. By following this motto, the Huffman Engineering team is a great place to learn and share knowledge. As employees grow individually and as a team, the company’s goal is to promote growth in their customers. Huffman Engineering will continually take the time to connect and explain how as a company, we can help customers achieve their project goals.
Competency and dependability are crucial in any project a customer brings to the Huffman team. With many skilled technicians, engineers, and electricians, customers are guaranteed professional and knowledgeable individuals working on their projects from start to finish. With a proven project methodology in place the Huffman Engineering team is familiar with methods that move a project along and provides thorough documentation. But dependability doesn’t stop at the finish of a project. The company takes pride in their efforts to continually offer support and guidance even after projects have concluded. Customers can be certain that Huffman Engineering will stand behind their work and offer continuous support throughout the years to come.