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Kathryn Zimmerman Internship

Kathryn, a Graphic Communications and Printing Technology major, interned at Grafika Print this summer.

Grafika is an award-winning, multi-dimensional print provider of consumer paperboard packaging and labeling/product identification. The business features convention and UV offset, flexo, digital and screen printing.

How did you find out about Grafika?

I learned about the company when I went to a student night there with my class for a tour of the company.

What does your day-to-day look like at the internship?

Every day I help run the feeder of an offset press. I move large skids of paper and prep them to be printed on, adjust the feeder head while the machine is running to make sure it runs smoothly, put ink into units, clean ink out, and help wherever they need me.

What is something you were surprised to learn in your time as an intern?

I was surprised to learn about the amazing technology of the press. It can run 20,000 sheets in an hour, there is a camera that takes a picture of every single sheet as it is printed to automatically make slight adjustments to the ink density, and conveyor belts are used on both sides of the press to put blank skids in and remove printed skids without the press ever stopping.

What has been something challenging about your internship?

It has been challenging to learn all the detailed information on how the press runs and remember the steps to take when something needs to be fixed.

What’s been the best thing about your internship experience?

I have really enjoyed the entire experience and being able to work alongside very knowledgeable, experienced pressmen has helped me learn so much.

Tell us about a story of something that happened in your internship.

One time soon after I started, a sheet had gotten folded on its way into the press, and it ended up smashing all the blankets, so I got to learn how to change all the blankets with the operator.

Would you recommend seeking out an internship to other students at TSCT?

I would definitely recommend seeking out an internship to other students at TSCT because it gives you so much real-world knowledge that you may not learn in the classroom, and it gives you a connection to a company that you may want to work at once you graduate.

How do you think this experience will help you in the future?

This experience gave me an opportunity to learn more about my field and it will help me find a job whether I stay at Grafika or use my experience to get a job somewhere else.

Nate Puksta, Premier Custom-Built Intern

Nate Puksta, a Cabinetmaking and Wood Technology major in Thaddeus Stevens College’s associate degree program, has spent his summer interning at Premier Custom-Built in New Holland, Pa.

Established in 1991 by Marlin Horst, Premier Custom-Built is rooted in German heritage while exemplifying what it takes to preserve the craft while also leading innovations into the future. The company provides luxury cabinets, architectural millwork, metal, and outdoor cabinetry.

What does your day-to-day look like at the internship?

I wake up when it’s still dark even in the summer at 4:20 a.m. so I can workout and arrive at work between 20 and 30 minutes before the workday starts at 6 a.m. I was fortunate enough to be given an opportunity in the finishing department at Premier, and I’m in the sanding sub-department. Sanding all day may not sound enjoyable, but I listen to music and the others in the shop are great to be around. I ask a lot of questions and the leadership is always happy to answer them. I’m wrapped for the day by 4:30.

What is something you were surprised to learn in your time as an intern?

As an intern, I’ve learned that even large companies can have a family-like culture. Premier’s core values aren’t just on their website – they’re also present for employees and regularly embodied. At a monthly meeting, the president spoke about the importance of representing the core values and it’s apparent in the atmosphere.

What’s been something challenging about your internship?

When I first started working here, it was in the press area, which is where the cabinet structure is glued together. We glue the panels to the sides of cabinets, the floors to the returns, the frames to the boxes, and the list goes on. The challenging part about this was not the work itself, but the myriad of terms I had to learn in such a short period of time. It was challenging and I made some mistakes.

What has been the best thing about your internship experience?

The best thing about this experience has been how much I’ve learned. I learned what I like and don’t like within cabinetmaking, the importance of being on time, and most importantly: why Mr. Latta, one of my instructors, had some rules about certain things and flexibility about other things. It made a lot of sense as I worked there.

Would you recommend seeking out an internship to other students?

Absolutely! The people who work at Premier are very affable, diligent, and hard-working. I’ve benefitted from ‘iron sharpens iron.’ The work is enjoyable, and it’s taught me how to commit to longer workdays.