Christine held an internship with Siemens Healthineers in Fall 2020.
If you asked Christine Yaromich (MechE 2T1 + PEY) a year ago where she would be in May 2021 she would not have imagined the answer would be working at Tesla in Berlin. Christine began her Professional Experience Year with a work placement with E.S. Fox Limited as a nuclear engineer intern during the summer of 2020 and then with Siemens Healthineers as a biomedical engineer intern in the fall. During this time, she ran into some COVID-19 roadblocks including a cancelled internship so she began searching for her next opportunity and saw a Manufacturing Engineering internship position open at Tesla in Berlin.
“The position is in the paint shop, I wasn’t entirely sure what that would entail when I applied, but I quickly learned how many mechanical components pass through the shop. My work has nothing to do with the paint itself.” Christine said.
Christine in her Tesla jacket at the Brandenburg Gate.
Christine’s role at Tesla is focused on the manufacturing of the vehicle and managing the process of the various parts moving through the paint shop. She supports the engineering of the mechanical pieces that move through the shop to undergo sealing or through corrosion resistance lines and ensures it receives the appropriate treatment.
“I was drawn to the position at Tesla as I’m very interested in electric vehicles and accelerating the drive to sustainability. I felt the reputation and values of Tesla aligned well with my own outlook,” Christine said. “It’s a great working environment. Everyone is really helpful and collaborative and there is a huge focus on teamwork and what we can achieve together. It’s also cool to see lots of women on the team and they have a great mentorship system for new employees. I always have someone to go to if I have a question.”
Living and working in Berlin has been an amazing experience for Christine. She has family in Germany and was able to visit them over Christmas break and continues to work on improving her German. She will remain at Tesla until August when she hopes to have some time to travel before returning to MIE in September to begin her fourth year of studies.
“It wasn’t an easy pathway to get here, and I want other students to know it’s possible! I really struggled in first year after coming to U of T from a small town where learning opportunities were very limited. My grades in first here weren’t very high, below average, and I was constantly comparing myself to others in my program,” Christine said. “It’s important to remember it’s not all about grades, and to focus on yourself – do your best, make sure you put in the effort to learn the basic concepts and don’t forget to get involved. Most importantly, you need to fail to know where to improve.”
During her time at MIE Christine has been involved with student council, the Supermileage Team, helped out with a number of recruitment events, and is a Varsity squash player.
“There are lots of ways to gain useful skills that will take you far. Getting involved and using those opportunities to network and learn is so important. If you work hard and are always willing to learn you’ll go far. Remember, you belong here and believe in yourself!”
Christine is happy to connect on LinkedIn and is always willing to offer feedback on cover letters or chat about her experience securing internships. She also has a YouTube channel with a video where she talks about how she made it to her dream internship at Tesla.
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-Published May 19, 2021 by Lynsey Mellon, lynsey@mie.utoronto.ca
