High-tech: Trine BME student completing co-op at Zimmer Biomet

WARSAW, Ind. — Having grown up in a blue-collar environment, Christian Preijers wanted to learn firsthand what it was like to work in more high-tech surroundings.

The Trine University biomedical engineering major from Laguna Niguel, California, began a co-op with Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw, Indiana, in January and will continue through the end of the year.

“I heard of the opportunity while at Trine’s Job fair last fall. I told them that I was interested in working as either a co-op or intern,” he said. “After a few months and interviews I was hired.”

Multiple departments

Christian said it was exciting to be selected for the co-op.

“It finally felt that my hard work from school was finally being recognized,” he said.

He has been part of three departments: Research with Biomaterials, Research with Diagnostics, and Sports Medicine/Upper extremities. In each assignment, he has worked to support his managers’ projects.

His favorite part has been seeing the projects he’s worked on gradually grow and develop.

“I've learned new equipment like an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) for fracture analysis, I've updated and revised risk documentation for products, and was assigned in learning Ansys for use in multiple projects,” he said. “I have expanded my skills exponentially and will continue to do so until December.”

He said his education at Trine was a great help when it came to working in groups with the other co-ops.

“Many of them come from bigger schools, so they didn't have the same project experience I've had at Trine,” he said. “Trine’s project-based curriculum helped with learning how to work in a team and to keep the eventual goal in sight even when we ran into issues.”

He said both the hard and soft skills he has learned during the co-op will help in his future career.

“I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity,” he said.