It’s not just a Career…I Call it Family

Many college students are pursuing a degree in order to have the opportunity to work in a specific career field. For Paper Science and Engineering majors (PSE), these job opportunities start as early as the second week of school. In PSE you are provided an abundance of job opportunities from the start. For me in particular, I interviewed at the beginning of my first semester of college. A few days later I accepted an offer with Domtar for a summer in Plymouth, NC and a fall semester in Bennettsville, SC.

As a first generation college student, and a freshman with only a week of classes under my belt, I was shocked the paper industry was so interested in someone with so little experience. After seeing first hand how many job opportunities were available in the industry, it solidified my decision to pursue the PSE degree.

Tools and Mentors Provide Comfort and Promote Success

The summer following my first year of college was a major learning experience. I had the opportunity to learn more in depth about the paper companies and their everyday work. It gave me insight into what a career in this field could really be. As I was extremely nervous going into this position it was comforting to learn that I would have a mentor to help me when I either had questions or needed help on a project.

Some of my everyday tasks in this position included various lab tests, computer work, and daily/weekly meetings. The lab tests helped me to better understand what each area of the mill was doing, as well as see some of the mill’s protocol for quality control. With both the computer work and the meetings I was able to gain professional experience. Learning new programs used in the industry allowed me to get better acquainted before I had even used them for classes. As an intern I observed various meetings. The meetings allowed me to become accustomed to the verbiage in the mill and learn to formulate thoughts and answers when asked questions.

Paper Science will Further your Career

Overall, my experience in the field was extremely positive. I learned more about the industry than I ever thought possible, and I was able to grow as a professional in this setting. Making the decision to pursue a second degree in paper science is something that I feel confident will help to further my career in the future. I am so thankful for the work experience I have already gained, and can not wait to see more of what the paper industry has to offer.

By guest blogger Heaven Davis