The company I worked for dealt with HVAC controls. It was a medium-size consulting firm (roughly two dozen people). We undertook problems regarding the HVAC systems for commercial buildings. The company was split into several sections, the most prominent being engineering and sales. The sales section dealt with online sales and specific orders, while engineering (my section) dealt with creating the control systems for projects where they did not know what they needed. There would often be overlap between the engineering and sales departments when it came to pricing of parts needed or backtracking to find what parts where already in place or had been sold in the past. While there notable differences in the knowledge and approach to HVAC controls that both departments took, there was very clear communication between the two of them. All the acronyms and industry language was shared and there were no language barriers in that sense.
Coop was a very enlightening experience for me in terms of how important industry experience is in a field and how technical skills are only a small part of your ability to succeed in the workplace. I can very well see myself doing the same work after I graduate due to both my personal experiences and the state of the HVAC control industry. My boss was a role model for me in terms of how well rounded he was in managing the workplace and a key part of my decision to pursue a Masters in Engineering Management. The HVAC industry is also sorely in need of younger workers due to other upcoming areas of engineering attracting a large percentage of the new workforce generations. The combination of the industry state and the flexibility my masters will give me will most likely leave a lot of room for me to grow and hopefully rise through the ranks of the HVAC control industry.
