Reflecting on the 2024 Viwinco Summer Internship Program: Building Skills, Relationships, and Futures

As we head toward the end of 2024, we’re reflecting on the incredible summer we had with our 2024 Viwinco Summer Internship Program. This past summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming five talented engineering students into our program. These bright individuals brought their skills and fresh perspectives to meaningful projects, supporting our ongoing lean manufacturing journey. Before we know it, we’ll be starting our search for a new class of interns for 2025, and we couldn’t be more excited. 

From May through August, our interns gained hands-on experience working with dedicated mentors, applying their academic knowledge to real-world challenges, and honing skills in problem-solving, process improvement, and cross-team collaboration. 

Each intern joined a different department, where they immersed themselves in projects that aligned with their field of study. Their contributions had a notable impact on our operations: 

• Abhishek Mahesh (Abhi) joined our Quality Department, focusing on defective material analysis and quality sampling. His work led to improved quality control procedures and the implementation of a Document Control Process. 

• Dylan Mandel contributed to the Manufacturing Engineering team, where he designed a new layout for the Mulling department and enhanced our dust collection system, as well as developed standard procedures for our Casement line. 

• Jack Slivken worked in Maintenance, optimizing automation processes by redesigning equipment on the Picture/Slider line and standardizing screw guns for ergonomic and safety improvements. 

• Johanna Holmes (Jo) made a significant impact in the Glass Shop by improving lamination yield, enhancing ergonomic practices, and conducting time studies to optimize machine capacity. 

• Sid Senthilvel supported the Materials Department by focusing on the Vinyl Shop Overhaul Project, streamlining our materials replenishment process. 

Throughout the summer, weekly meetings with HR Business Partner Elena Kollar kept interns focused on their goals while fostering collaboration and offering guidance. One of the program’s highlights was the final presentations, where each intern shared their projects and insights with our leadership team. These presentations were a true testament to the interns’ growth, hard work, and the meaningful contributions they made to our company. 

We’re especially excited to share that one of our interns impressed us so much that they received a job offer upon their graduation in Spring 2025! This achievement solidifies our commitment to nurturing future talent and creating career opportunities for young professionals. 

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue building relationships with future engineers and providing meaningful, hands-on experiences that bridge the gap between academia and industry. The 2024 Viwinco Summer Internship Program has been a resounding success, and we look forward to welcoming more passionate students in the coming years. Our search for 2025 interns will begin in February! For those interested, please contact Elena Kollar at ekollar@viwinco.com, and check our Indeed page for intern job posts.