INPO was my second job in my current career; my first was McDonald’s. The move from fast food to the nuclear industry was certainly a big one. I quickly learned that INPO was very diverse and a fascinating company to work at. My time at INPO gave me a lot of insight on the business environment, which helped me mature. I’ll always remember and keep my experiences at INPO with me. When I first started at INPO I was still fairly new to the idea of a job as I only had 2 summers of previous job experience. First semester was an eye opener for me. It was always a constant challenge to open up and interact with everyone from my fellow co-ops to customers. I had a lot of technical knowledge but, the most challenging part was getting used to the work environment. There were a lot of rules, polices, and procedures to follow closely. I had some trouble at first, but people at INPO were so welcoming that I was quickly assimilated into this close-knit family. As the semesters went by, I grew more accustom to the work environment and gained tremendous skills in my work ethics. It took a lot of hard work and time, but thanks to my co-workers, supervisor, and customers, I was able to grow and mature. It is a great feeling coming to work and knowing I am prepared and ready. I really appreciate the certifications and training that INPO offered to me. From learning about computer components to crucial conversations, I benefited a lot from them. Not only was I offered great training material, I had to put it into use every day at my job. To me, hands-on learning is the best. I can train all day about something but if I don’t put it to use, then it is useless to me At INPO I also had the opportunity to work alongside 4 other co-ops in a team of 5. At other companies you’re usually hired on as the only co-op for the company. INPO puts you in a team with other co-ops of various levels of expertise to support the whole company. I was never alone in my job and received a lot of help from my teammates. That was a great aiding factor when I was lost and had no clue on what to do. My team was also there to evaluate and aid in my growth. Feedback was essential and helping each other was one of our number one priorities. Thanks to them, I was able to discover my weaknesses and remedy them before going out to the real world. While performing day to day work I was studied very closely by my supervisor Brenda. Brenda Byrd is an awesome supervisor to work with. She taught me a great number of things about people and aspects of life in general. If you want to succeed, if you want to learn, Brenda will be there to push you towards those goals. She is always willing to listen and help you. I only regret that I cannot work with her longer to learn even more from this grandmaster of people. I recommend INPO to anyone looking to co-op. I was able gain confidence in myself, technical knowledge, and great work ethics at INPO. The experiences you gain here will be with you for a life time. You are not only able to gain experiences yourself, but also help others grow alongside you. As long as you have the will to learn and an inquisitive mind INPO will offer you the experience you want.