LSU Industrial Engineering Junior Interns With Textron Systems
December 3, 2024
BATON ROUGE, LA – LSU Industrial Engineering junior Abby Lobell enjoys analyzing the bigger picture—how systems, people, and processes interact—and finding innovative ways to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. In fact, she enjoys it so much that she spent her summer gaining experience in these areas as part of an internship with Textron Systems in New Orleans.
“What truly drew me to industrial engineering is its versatility and the diversity of industries it touches,” Lobell said. “This field offers the unique opportunity to work across various sectors, applying creative problem-solving skills to optimize processes, enhance productivity, and create meaningful impact in a wide range of environments.”
Lobell was offered the internship after applying for it through the Handshake app. Over the summer, she served as a production planner for the company where she led an individualized, summer-long project focused on improving and tracking the initial training and cross-training processes for employees on the Production Planning Team.
“This initiative aimed to enhance team efficiency and ensure a smoother onboarding experience for new and transitioning team members,” Lobell said.
In addition to the project, she also collaborated with planners and assisted them in their daily tasks, which included analyzing production schedules, monitoring inventory levels, coordinating with various departments to ensure smooth operations, and identifying opportunities for process improvements.
“This experience allowed me to gain valuable insights into production planning workflows while contributing to the team’s overall success,” Lobell said.
Textron Systems, best known for innovative defense, government, and aerospace technologies and services, has created a Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft designed to transport heavy equipment, vehicles, or personnel across both land and sea at high speeds, making them highly versatile and effective for various military operations. Seeing one of these perform was a thrill for Lobell.
“One of the highlights of my experience was watching the LCAC hovercraft on cushion and take flight over the water,” Lobell said. “Feeling the sheer power of the craft in that moment gave me a deep appreciation for the innovative technology Textron develops and the impact of our work.”
Though Lobell is not certain of her career plans once she graduates, she would love to receive an offer to work at Textron or become a business owner.
“I am open to new opportunities and different industries for growth and expansion in my career as an industrial engineer,” Lobell said. “One of my main goals is to be a business owner. I have always seen myself in the position of owning a company, whether it be construction, a type of engineering firm, or industrial contracted work. I will be working to set myself to reach that accomplishment.”
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