Internship Highlight: Matthew Wegener

Meet Matthew Wegener, a rising fourth-year student at the Penn State Smeal College of Business majoring in supply chain and information systems with a minor in information systems management. This summer, he’s putting his classroom knowledge into practice as a Procurement Intern with Collins Aerospace, an RTX company. We caught up with Matthew to learn more about his internship experience and the insights he’s gaining along the way.

Tell us about your internship – what company are you working with, and what kind of projects or responsibilities are you taking on this summer?

This summer I have been fortunate enough to accept an internship with Collins Aerospace: An RTX company. I am working within our Mission Systems function, which supports several military capabilities. I am responsible for creating purchase orders and requests for quotations, after planners inform me of demand. I have also contacted suppliers to work on delivery assurance. My primary project this summer is using new innovative ways to view reports of open commitments and RFQs.

What have you learned so far during your internship that surprised you or challenged your expectations of the supply chain field?

Something that surprised me during my internship was how many different components and processes can go towards one part of a unit. The constant and consistent communication for top priorities has reestablished how important it is to maintain relationships with suppliers. It surprised me how often some professionals work with members outside of the company.

What tools, technologies, or platforms are you using in your internship, and how are they helping you learn or solve problems?

The primary technologies and platforms I have used have been SAP and excel. Knowledge in Tableau has also been super helpful to know. A large part of the supply chain operations occurs in SAP, this program has been essential towards completing my responsibilities. I have enjoyed how SAP has endless possibilities and several different ways to achieve the same end goal.  After I download data from SAP, excel is helpful for formatting the data and utilizing equations to solve problems that may occur.

Have you had a mentor during your internship? If so, how have they supported or inspired you?

I have been fortunate enough to have a mentor. The mentor I was assigned is a well-seasoned veteran in the supply chain industry. He has been able to support me by walking me through new projects I have and answering questions I have asked throughout the day. Although he is my assigned mentor, all of my co-workers have supported and inspired me. They were eager to answer any questions I had. They also have shown me that no matter what their experience is, everybody is always learning, which has inspired me to be more curious and explore all parts of the supply chain.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to another Smeal student preparing for a supply chain internship?

I would advise any Smeal student preparing for a supply chain internship to remember that your leaders are people too! Everybody who you work with was once in a similar situation. Remember that you are interning to learn, so there is not an expectation for you to be an expert right when you start. Everybody that works there is still always learning. Take diligent notes and ask questions about anything you need clarification on. The people you work with are always excited to answer questions based upon their experiences in the field.