Charles Gill is a recent graduate of the Architecture and Mechanical Drafting and Design program (formerly the Computer Aided Drafting and Design program) at Moore-Norman Technology Center. He started as an intern with Flash in December of 2023 during his final semester at Moore-Norman, receiving Student of the Month shortly after, and State-level awards later still. Upon completion of the internship program, Charles was offered a position as a Drafter/Designer with Flash Networks Group, Inc. We interviewed Charles about his time as an intern; read on to learn more!
How would you describe your internship at Flash to others?
I would say my internship was adventurous! There is a lot of repetitive work in the field, and this was not that. There’s far more opportunity for exploration and development in this job that you don’t get in a lot of other places.
How would you describe Flash’s culture?
The culture at Flash is very business casual. We can be formal and button up when we are meeting with potential customers and our partners, but people at Flash understand the value of stepping back and taking a breath. I believe casual, friendly relationships keep internal work flowing, and Flash recognizes that as well. My internship was also flexible hours, so several times I was able to work remotely. There is some need to be in the office to converse and make plans, but if I have a big task that doesn’t require immediate collaboration, I can do it from home. Flash is great at understanding my other responsibilities.
How do you feel about your training/supervision? Do you feel you’ve received the proper training?
Beyond that! My training exceeded all my expectations. Most of the people I’ve worked with didn’t have a whole lot of drafting experience, so I brought in what I knew, and it became a collaborative effort to achieve goals. Everybody I’ve worked with is receptive to constructive criticism, and it is a communal learning environment, which makes me feel valuable as an integral part of the team. I’ve learned much more than what a classroom setting could bring.
What has been the most rewarding thing about working with Flash?
I can come to work and be excited about what we are working on. Going into this program, I expected to be told an idea and told to get it on paper, day in and day out. This internship truly defied my expectations in that way. At Flash, its more, “What if we did something new?” or “Can we try this?” It’s very creative and thought-provoking work as opposed to simply translating someone else’s idea to a paper.
What are the most valuable skills you feel you’ve learned as a result of this internship program?
I’ve learned several advanced drafting concepts that a lot of more experienced drafters still lack. I’ve specialized my skill set with ideas like surface finish, welding symbols, and basic GD&T. I’ve also learned about recent technological necessities and how to incorporate them into my work, things we don’t learn from school.
Would you recommend this internship program to other students?
One hundred percent. This internship with his company is such a great find for me. Especially in my field where many sit down and draft similar designs for eight hours a day, getting to come here and really put my mind to work is an excellent experience.