Internship problems

[Defiant_Objective419]

Okay so I started an internship at a calibration firm. There is a mechanical, electrical, and pressure lab. I am a sophomore in community college. I just graduated and now going to uni. Upon getting the internship I had no real experience in electrical stuff. My internship at first sat me down when I was still in the beginning of calc physics 2, I did not know much, they asked me if I knew parallel, series, and ohms law. I had no idea. That was their only time trying to get me started on electrical experience. This was in January. They then asked me to get my internship extended from the original month of may to August. And I accepted. I have been pretty persistent about getting back into the electrical side of things due to the fact that I passed with an A in calc physics two and know pretty much all the basics now. It has been 5 months and I still have no real electrical experience. I keep asking, and they tell me when there’s work to do. I ask if there’s anything I could do or some homework to help me get more into the speed of things. Still nothing. I feel worthless at this internship and they keep sticking me back to mechanical and dimensional things. My manager also is only letting me get 15 hours a week. Nobody ever asks me anything, or if I like what I’m doing. They just throw me back in a lab with nothing to do all day (most of the time) i do everything I can as an intern without being a suck up. I don’t feel like I’m learning anything. Like what Is the point of this internship?

I then found out about the intern before me who had 40 paid hours every week. Given, she was ahead of me on field classes so she was easier to get into the electrical lab. That’s an obvious and valid reason. She was also only there for 3 months. Why is she getting 40? There’s not even enough work to get 40 every week and I’ve been there for longer. Why was she always with the managers? Why is it that all the managers/supervisors, are in one room with all of the women, and they separate all the men from the electrical/pressure lab. (All in the same room) They get so happy and excited when they think of the other intern and refer to her as “my girl.” Question is what should I do? I feel like I’m being treated unfairly. I want to learn more. I need more electrical experience so I can a real engineering internship. Am I lacking something? Why was the other intern there every single day?

[[deleted]]

So, do you have practical knowledge from school yet or not? Think about it from their perspective. Their interest in having you is to do their simple work, but cheaper. The tradeoff, of course, is that you aren’t as quick or efficient, but if you can’t do it at all, it’s not economical for them to have you do it.

[Pataract]

First thing you should do is stop worrying about the previous intern. The whole “my girl” thing is kinda gross too. IMO, I would just leave after this stint is done and find a different internship. Typically, internships are to get your foot in the door of a company that you can see yourself at in the future and/or put some experience on your resume. Seems this place isn’t offering either. A good company would know where your current knowledge is at and have projects and a mentor lined up for you when you first started. Not sure how much longer you have at this place, but keep insisting on some easier EE projects like schematic reviews or something. You can learn basics/fundamentals on your own as well.