Waibel Energy Systems

Controls Engineer

January 2023 • Vandalia, OH

What I liked

Working at Waibel so far has been a great experience due to the people and environment while working. Everyone is very helpful, friendly, and understanding. Before working here, I did not know much about controls engineering and the HVAC section of construction, but now I have learned a lot from all the people working there. Ever since I started, I have been doing important work, which really has forced me to learn a lot very quickly.

What I wish was different

I definitely was not used to working at a desk since all my previous jobs had been standing and moving around. The change of pace and being thrown into a brand new field was probably the most difficult part, but it was not anything that I couldn't handle. The knowledge gap for this job was a big problem for me, but as I learned and got used to the field, it became easier. This job definitely showed me to be more careful when examining things and make sure I have everything in order before talking to someone or submitting work that I have done.

Advice

Don't stress about what you don't know, and be open to learning from the people around you that know more. Also, know that, especially in the beginning, you will get a lot wrong, but learn from those experiences and move on. Get to know people and be open to new things. Overall just try your hardest at everything and it will work out well.

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Energy and Controls Engineering Co-op

January 2023 • Vandalia, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed this co-op since it gave me a glimpse into the field of energy engineering, a topic that I was largely unfamiliar with before starting work at Building Logix. Building Logix is a building automation system (BAS) service that works with Waibel Energy Systems to provide information to clients that helps them make their buildings perform more efficiently, saving energy and money in the process. The Building Logix DataExchange website was an extremely helpful tool for someone new to the BAS world and helped me a lot during my training. My favorite part of the job was working with really helpful and engaged coworkers that showed me how to identify Energy Conservation Measures (ECM) in buildings and how to describe these opportunities to the clients. By the end of the term, I was able to present some of these ECM's to clients myself. Overall, it was a great experience and I am going to continue working for Building Logix in the summer!

What I wish was different

At the start, it was a little overwhelming to throw myself into a field that I was mostly unfamiliar with, although that would have been true with most co-op jobs. There was helpful documentation to help new co-op students, but it could have been more detailed and specific. However, part of my job was to add to the already existing onboarding documents to make it easier for the next person who is starting work at Building Logix. Another thing that I wish could have been different was having more time at the business. A lot of the work is project-based, and these projects can last for months, so by the end of the term it was hard for me to be assigned to a project that will last for months even after my term is over.

Advice

Some advice I would share about this experience is to be open and welcoming at a new co-op job. It can be scary to start at first, but getting to know your coworkers and collaborating with others is a great way to be productive and feel more comfortable at the job. At Building Logix, I really enjoyed our Monday Lunch and Learns, where someone presented a topic related to their work and everyone else listened and asked questions to better understand each part of our business. This exercise was a fun way to get to know my coworkers and learn something new. There might not be something like that at every co-op job, but the Lunch and Learns highlighted the importance of teamwork and asking others for help when you might be confused.

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Controls Engineer Co-op

January - May 2022 • Vandalia, OH

What I liked

Waibel Energy Systems is full of great people that I really enjoy working with. All my coworkers were more than willing to answer any questions I had throughout the entire learning process. I also felt that my role as Control Engineer gained a lot of responsibility pretty quickly which definitely gives me something to be proud of. I never felt like I was doing "busy work," which allowed me to learn so much as well. Waibel also seems like a company heading in the right direction, and I am glad I got to make connections this early in my engineering career. Lastly, I felt like I learned some great people skills by working with my coworkers as well as engineers from other companies to complete jobs. Ultimately, Waibel provided a great experience for my first Co-op term.

What I wish was different

Having never experienced an office role before, I struggled with the sedentary nature of this job; however, this is something I will probably have to get used to for my future as an engineer. I found reasons to get up and walk or talk as much as I could which helped. I also felt that success in HVAC requires a good amount of field knowledge that I was missing in an office setting. Overtime, I would have developed this knowledge, and in my few experiences I did have in the field, I did learned about how everything works beyond the drawings. Lastly, I feel like I learned a lot about being an HVAC Controls Engineer, but I am not sure how my experience will translate to other roles.

Advice

One piece of advice I would share about this experience would be to accept that you will not know much at the beginning. It was sometimes frustrating how I tried to do my best and yet I just did not have the HVAC background to figure out some of my tasks. I had to realize that everyone at Waibel knew this would be the case so its okay that I did not know. Secondly, I would say its really important to go out of your way to get close to your co-workers. It makes work so much more enjoyable, and it leads to good connections in the future.

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