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Skiing and Engineering

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Phormat
Posts: 774 - Karma: 20
I am a mechanical engineering undergrad at Northeastern University. My school has a co-op program, a type of internship, where you can work at a company in your respective field for up to 6 months and gain credit and real-world experience. I have sent serious emails out to many companies, but so far few have responded with anything meaningful, only having said they have received said emails.

I know K2 has some ski design positions available, but that is for a post graduate position, which for me is only applicable after this spring, or in the fall (depending if I do another co-op).

I would love to get a job that involves one of my great passions and my academic interests. I feel that landing such a position would motivate me more to do well as an engineer, and employ my creativity and design skills.

Do any of you guys, especially those of you who work for these companies, know if these kind of internships are available in the ski industry? If you do, how would I get my interest out besides emails? Should I just call these companies main numbers and hope to get transferred to the right department? Much appreciation for any advice.
Oct 16 2010 7:30PM
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Heart
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 3,462
I'd like to know this as well.
Oct 16 2010 7:37PM
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gabfreeski
Posts: 1459 - Karma: 23
you should call them
Oct 16 2010 7:43PM
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Melvs
Posts: 15174 - Karma: 480
Not an easy field to get into...

You could always do snow/avalanche science, that's the route I decided to take. Mech. Eng. prepares you very well for it...
Oct 16 2010 7:46PM
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gnarles.
Posts: 2587 - Karma: 130
yup more direct
Oct 16 2010 10:13PM
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600U
Posts: 90 - Karma: 16
is snow/avalanche science is master's or phd?  or either way?  how much of it is in the lab vs. in the field?  what kinda job do you have now?  i'm a recent mech engr grad who was about to go to grad school but decided to take a few years off and ski bum.
Oct 16 2010 10:54PM
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Jacuse
Posts: 1792 - Karma: 1,549
Not in engineering, but i'm in my second year here at northeastern.
Oct 17 2010 12:06AM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
not a good idea in a technical field...you fall behind on technical knowledge unles you go to conventions and such, and even then it will be hard to land a job.

i know im not telling you anything you don't already know but you will be dead last in line when companies hire, unless you have a rock solid connection within a company...

cause i would love to do what youre doing but it would make my life sooooo much more difficult, plus piss off my parents eho paid for my education
Oct 17 2010 2:57AM
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TOUCHE
Posts: 1183 - Karma: 162
This sounds like exactly what i am planning to do. I finish high school in under a month and was going to spend all next year ski bumming my way around. Then Studying mechanical engineering (and perhaps commerce dual degree) the following year. Although i am still unable to think of many jobs directly related to skiing that i would be able to become easily associated with from that line of work.
Oct 17 2010 5:23AM
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spk.aurelien
Posts: 82 - Karma: 6
props on being an engineer bro... ne is not a bad school... good your not becoming another fag lawyer
Oct 17 2010 5:33AM
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Melvs
Posts: 15174 - Karma: 480
I took a couple winters off to ski bum and I'm still in school now, masters. I know a few people getting phds in it too. it depends on what you want to do, phd will keep you in research if you can find funding and a place to work, a masters will probably just let you get some job in it.

Most of what I'll be doing in school for research is field work and that seems to be the same for everyone I've met. Of course there's a lot of time spent in front of a computer analyzing data as well, but that's the case in any research.

this site used to have a lot of info but it's down, the cached version should be helpful though.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:G7jXKHI_HoEJ:www.fsavalanche.org/Default.aspx%3FContentId%3D43%26LinkId%3D39%26ParentLinkId%3D8+avalanche+graduate+degrees&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Oct 17 2010 11:29AM
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Phormat
Posts: 774 - Karma: 20
Any good orange names to possibly pm?
Oct 17 2010 11:45AM
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billferd
Posts: 128 - Karma: 14
hahahaha funny shit

I go to Cornell and right now I'm working at a civil engineering firm (SGH) just outside of boston with 2 other northeastern co-op kids. smart guys. I tried as hard as I could to find a company in the skiing industry (not many POMA intern positions available). If you can't find anything, man up and work your ass off in the summer & fall with a northeastern co-op program (highly respected and invaluable experience). I know I'm not designing skis or lodges, but I'm clockin in madddddd overtime (aka $krilla) in a position extremely beneficial to my future lifesteeze. I'll be glad I put in all this time when the snow falls and my bank account is sayin' fuck yeah as well.

so if youre into construction and cool ass buildings, try to get a co-op over with me and we can jock NS-style all over these corporate clowns
Oct 17 2010 12:30PM
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600U
Posts: 90 - Karma: 16
@ californiagrown, you are very right.  i'm hoping i received good information on this, but here's how i decided to ski bum. as i was graduating and applying to grad schools, I talked to the proffs who were writing my letters of recommendation about ski bumming. they said exactly what you said about ski bumming between school and a job.  however, they also said that ski bumming then going back to school seems pretty do-able.  what's your degree in/are you working yet?
Oct 17 2010 1:51PM
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600U
Posts: 90 - Karma: 16
damn too bad the links at the top of that site dont work off that site. but still, it has a lotta good info on various schools.  thanks man.  also, did you find it difficult at all going back to school after a couple years off?
Oct 17 2010 2:06PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
CE last semester right now, aaand its killing me haha.  if you are going back to school it isn't gonna be such an issue.  however unless you plan on teaching and getting our phd alot of companies look at kids who go straight to grad school as those who werent qualified to get a job.  it is much much better to get a job in the industry first then go to night school or take a few years off to go back to school.  but if you work your ass off and make sacrifices alot of things are posssible, just not easier.  good luck!

currently i am looking for jobs sending out resumes, talking to company reps, networking etc.  got a few pretty good leads but im not an A+ candidate as i only have a 3.3 and have no family or close friends in Engineering so i gotta bust my ass, curently studying for the FE

i really would love to ski bum for a year or two up in tahoe but i gotta start making money and getting experience. 
Oct 17 2010 2:07PM
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Melvs
Posts: 15174 - Karma: 480
Somewhat, ya. I mean, I went from skiing everyday with not a care in the world to grad school, so it was definitely a change. But if you're motivated and enjoy the work it's not hard, just gotta be willing to adjust to the new environment.
Oct 17 2010 4:15PM
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