[SFU OLC Experience] Working in a Food Manufacturing Facility

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Gurpreet Singh Marwaha

SFU Student Undergraduate

Applied Sciences › Mechatronic Systems Engineering

Co-operative Education › Local Co-op

Program:

Co-operative Education › Local Co-op

Organization

Position Title

Location:

Experience Faculty

Applied Sciences › Mechatronic Systems Engineering

Johnson Cheese Cutter

Experience Details

Semester

Fall

Spring

Summer

Year

2022

2023

Introduction + Preparation

Previous Experience

Mechanical and Manufacturing Intern at Global Gourmet Foods

Global Gourmet Foods is known for its Kettle Cooked Foods and it services multi-chain restaurants, institutions, and supermarkets across the world. Working as Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Intern at GGF my daily activities included: keeping track of inventory, preparing spare parts lists, Solidworks designing, 3D printing, Fabrication orders, and calibrating new machinery in the warehouse. This co-op allowed me to work independently and, in a group, as well. During my time at GGF, I worked closely with maintenance teams to ensure all the equipment is serviced regularly and any issues are addressed promptly to minimize the disruption to the production processes. Furthermore, my role also included maintaining accurate and up-to-date manufacturing documentation such as Standard Operating Procedures and Preventative Maintenance schedules for the equipment’s.

During my Experience

Day to Day

Project Co-Ordinator at Daiya Foods

Daiya Foods was founded in 2008 with the motive to change the world with delicious plant-based food. The name, Daiya originated from the combination of two words “Dairy” and “Dayaa”, which means love, compassion, and kindness in Sanskrit. Since its foundation, Daiya Foods have committed to serving a passionate plant-based community to bring joy through food. As a Project Coordinator, my primary responsibilities were to oversee the execution and planning of projects from start to finish this included Solidworks Designing, contacting vendors, setting up meetings, and timelines, preparing presentations, and running Test trials on equipment. Another Critical aspect of my role was to make sure all the documentation is up-to-date and easily accessible whenever needed and worked closely with the senior management to identify opportunities to improve processes and identify the potential area of cost saving.

Reflection & Tips

Reflection

Overall, working in a food manufacturing facility is a nice experience to have. As it gives you the opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills needed to design, implement, and maintain efficient, safe, and high-quality food production processes. If any individual is interested, I would recommend they consider taking MSE 480: Manufacturing Systems just to familiarize themselves with the manufacturing processes.

Advice for Future Students

While seeking jobs, make sure you know everything that you have included in your resume, and you can always book a session on my experience to practice interviews. Along with University courses, I would recommend taking a few courses on Udemy, LinkedIn, or Course Hero to expand your knowledge or explore the field in which you want to opt for your co-op.

Tags:

Returning to SFU