In the summer between my junior and senior year at SC (summer 2006), I interned for Boeing at their Long Beach site, which is home to the world’s best airlifter, the C-17. My official title was Structural Design Engineer for the wing group of the airplane, which is a subgroup of the overall airframe of the C-17. In other words, my group was responsible for all structure in the aircraft’s wing, including all control surfaces. Since the C-17 is a mature airplane that is well into production, I spent the majority of time at Boeing updating engineering drawings and solving problems and misunderstanding the suppliers had with our engineering drawings. This involved several trips to the supplier’s headquarters as well as many trips to the adjacent assembly line of the actual C-17.

Over the summer, I learned a great deal about the processes and culture inherent in Boeing and the Long Beach site. Work as an engineer, even as an intern, is almost seen as an honor at a company with a reputation as esteemed as Boeing’s. Boeing only hires the best people, which was apparent when talking to the other interns I met from colleges across the country. It comes as no surprise then that all five USC students I personally know who interned this summer with Boeing were asked to come back after graduation to work full-time. I can honestly say that is not the same for all other schools.

Eddie Smetak
Boeing, Long Beach C-17, Intern
Structural Design Engineering for Wing Airframe