Insight article
Focus Vegar S Experience As An Intern At Shearwater
1 Sep 2021
INTERNAL FOCUS | Vegar’s Experience as an intern at Shearwater
Story from Vegar, Mechanical Engineer InternshipHøvik - Summer 2021
My name is Vegar, and I am one of this year’s summer interns. I study for a master’s degree in product development and production (also known as mechanical engineering) and I am now finished with my third year. I have always liked creating stuff, whether it is code on a screen or a physical item.
Choosing mechanical engineering was a no-brainer for me because the study involves everything from creative design and prototyping to mechatronics and coding. There is little you can’t do as a mechanical engineer if you are willing to learn and work hard. My dream is to be involved in all the stages of product development and really see ideas become reality.
At the start of this summer, I was introduced to the mechanical team at Shearwater’s office in Høvik. Before long I was 3D modelling and comparing ideas for prototypes, 3D printing and doing calculations on different solutions. When I started here, the team was in the middle of testing and designing a new product solution. I was asked to explore solutions to a specific problem, and I was able to use methods and principles from my study to explore different designs and ideas. With good help from the rest of the team we were able to eliminate some ideas and choose some to continue working on.
Working here has given me a more defined perspective on the position of a mechanical engineer. As a student you don’t really see how stuff is done in the industry. For example, you rarely contact third party suppliers, discuss problems interdisciplinary or 3D modeling with a consideration of material cost and production. It has really been nice to experience how this is done in a professional place like Shearwater and it is valuable to have this experience as I continue my studies. So far in this internship I have gotten a more realistic view of the job as an engineer. I have experienced just how creative it can be and that I really can use the knowledge gained from my studies to explore ideas and develop solutions.
Vegar interned at the Høvik office, Summer 2021