Meet a Work+ Student
Meet Work+ Student, Evan Olden
Work+ is a program offered through Miami University that allows students to work 25 hours a week at a partnering company while also earning a degree at no cost. The program benefits both parties by allowing students to earn experience and graduate debt-free while also connecting employers with up and coming regional talent.
Evan Olden is a Work+ student currently studying Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology at Miami University. He applied for the Work+ program shortly after it was announced in summer 2019 and was soon offered a position at thyssenkrupp Bilstein. He shared his experience in the following interview after several months in his position.
What do you do at thyssenkrupp Bilstein?
I started out working at TKB as an operator, but in part because of the degree I’m pursuing and in part due to other circumstances, I was transferred to the Industry 4.0 group. We work with collaborative robots (cobots) and our primary goal is to automate certain operations within the facility to make our operators’ jobs easier and less monotonous.
What’s your favorite part about Industry 4.0?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
What’s the most valuable aspect of Work+ to you?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
What’s the best class you’ve taken?
My favorite class thus far was Digital Systems. I’m one of those people who really enjoys “computer logic”, and this class was all about that. Computers work in a way that -- if it’s a “0”, do this, and if it’s a “1”, do that. But Digital Systems made me ask, “Well, why does it do this or that?” So it was really interesting.
Where do you see yourself in the future?
In five years, I hope to have my degree and start on a second one in Political Science. I have this idea of what an engineer should be, and I think they should be someone who is socially conscious. I don’t just want to automate a process that puts people out of work, and I think it’s really important for engineers to have a background and education that allows them to think about how to apply their skills and knowledge in a beneficial way to the community. Looking even further ahead, I think I want to get involved in politics, and maybe one day, after I’ve retired, become a teacher.
What community events do you go to?
With my busy schedule, I try to find little ways to get involved and make the community a better place. I go to blood drives when I can, because that’s such a small commitment with such a huge impact. I always have a great time going to the annual antique car show each summer, and I love festivals like Operation Pumpkin and the 4th of July celebration. I also used to be a summer tutor, working with kids to help them understand science, which was a lot of fun.
What else do you do for fun?
I’m a huge movie guy, so whenever I have free time I always go down to the AMC theater. Sometimes I stop by and get dinner before or after at one of the restaurants on the Main Street strip.
Any final thoughts?
Work+ is an amazing program and I’m really excited to be part of it. thyssenkrupp has been great to work for. All of it has been really valuable to both my education and my future career plans, and I hope other students will apply!