Charlotte-based MSS Solutions is a leading provider of engineering and design solutions with more than 700 employees. MSS has multiple divisions and gives Charlotte students the opportunity to co-op with their engineering group to support design-build efforts for a variety of industries including healthcare, industrial, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Currently, MSS is involved in more than $2 billion of major construction projects in the City of Charlotte, which are changing the landscape of the city.
Senior Mechanical Engineering student Eddie Scott completed his co-op with MSS Solutions this academic year. “It was a joy to have Eddie as part of our team. He was an awesome teammate and always had a willingness to jump in on various engineering projects and design work. This type of attitude is not only imperative to grow technical knowledge, but also for engineers to be successful in their careers,” says MSS Engineering Manager Xavier Parrish.
Eddie participated in three rotations with MSS – performing a heat study at a production facility for their design and development department, conducting a mechanical assessment for a hotel in Huntsville, Alabama, and creating graphic displays and interfaces for their controls/electrical engineering department. Eddie learned software programs to create construction drawings and 3D models, which he says gave him a “great opportunity to become comfortable with them so early in his career.”
Eddie enjoyed learning so much about the real-world applications of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and refrigeration, but says “the most important thing I noticed after my co-op experience, was how much I had developed as a professional and all of the soft skills I gained working at MSS. I think for the majority of engineering students, the technical aspect of any job is easier to learn than the social skills required in the industry. An internship or co-op is the best way to develop these before entering the workforce as a full-time employee.”
Eddie also really enjoyed the culture at MSS and has even played for the MSS team in the Charlotte Area Architect’s Volleyball League (CAAVL) over the last two years. The MSS team has told Eddie to expect a full-time offer from them upon graduation in May.