Summer internship project leads DET student to full-time position with GM

During the first week of classes, the driver’s-side door handle broke off Peter Klee’s Chevy Equinox.

The Trine University Design Engineering Technology senior had to replace the piece with one of the passenger-side handles just to get in and out of the SUV.

“It got me through college and was way better than a Ford,” reasoned Klee.

Klee’s preference for General Motors vehicles was solidified following his internship with GM as an Engineering Design Intern over the summer. He learned of the opening through a department email from department Chair Thomas Trusty.

“Professor Trusty suggested we reach out to him after we applied so he could put in a good word for us to his contacts at GM,” said Klee.

Once hired, his major project involved working on the design of an exterior trim piece for a new generation of Silverado and Sierra trucks. The project required working in coordination with all the different teams that the part interfaced with. This gave him firsthand experience with all the stages of the design cycle for the part.

“My favorite part about interning at General Motors was the real-world experience I was earning each day. Being involved with designing vehicles that will end up on the road was an incredible opportunity, which made work fun and engaging,” he said. “I had a lot of responsibility, given I was tasked with working on real components on the project, but it was very rewarding to know the work I was doing was going toward creating a world-class GM vehicle.”

In addition to the project, Klee praised the entire GM intern experience.

The organization offered additional activities such as facility tours and guest speakers from other divisions. For National Intern Day, GM hosted a Q&A session with company CEO Mary Barra.

As her security team was escorting her out, a fellow intern asked her if she’d pose for a selfie.

“She agreed, but said she was only going to take one,” said Peter, who was able to jump in for the shot.

The project itself posed challenges. The design assignment was very fast moving with hard deadlines. At the same time, Peter had to learn new design software to complete the task.

“One of the most helpful classes I took at Trine was the Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA),” he said. “In this class, DETs work alongside electrical engineering majors to create a product together. The EEs are responsible for the electronics and the DETs design the plastic casing for the product. This class was helpful because I learned how interconnected all aspects of a product are, and how communication between teams and individuals is crucial for a project to succeed.”

At the start of the summer, Klee was advised to treat the internship like a 12-week-long job interview. He took this to heart, often being one of the first people there and the last to leave each day. He committed to going the extra mile and was ultimately able put together a successful design and meet the end-of-summer deadline.

His drive and motivation didn’t go unnoticed. Following Klee’s summer work experience, GM extended him a full-time offer to return after graduation, which he accepted.

With an exciting career ahead, Klee plans to replace his Equinox with a brand-new GM Chevy Silverado.