Interns share takeaways from Tyler Union's 2025 internships

Tyler Union, a Division of McWane, Inc. and trusted manufacturer of quality waterworks products, is proud to have had seven interns at its facilities this summer gaining enriching experience in their respective fields.

The company’s internships are hands-on, enabling students and others looking to gain career-preparing experience a chance to build a strong body of work. This year’s class of interns worked in various departments, spanning a variety of fields.

“Tyler Union is proud to sponsor real-world opportunities that help students bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional application,” said Human Resources Director Judy Harrison. “By welcoming interns into our operations, we not only support the next generation of talent but also strengthen our own workforce with innovative ideas and emerging skills.”

Citing not only support for their learning but the ability to engage in critical projects, these interns will be looking ahead having gained new skills, experiences and connections. You can read the interns takeaways below.

Quality Intern, Adnan Ahamed, shared, “My summer internship as a quality intern at Tyler Union has been not only a valuable and rewarding experience but also eye-opening in many aspects. I gained a deep understanding of the key processes for ductile iron castings and how each stage, even though some may seem negligible, impacts final quality. The internship will enable me to better prepare and analyze manufacturing processes critically to address quality challenges more effectively in my future career. Beyond the technical growth, I am most grateful for the welcoming culture. Everyone, especially my colleagues in the quality department, made me feel like part of the team from the very beginning, and these supportive connections and positive memories from my time here will be cherished.”

Safety Intern, Layne Bethune, shared, “My internship has undoubtedly helped prepare me for a career in safety. I’ve had the opportunity to work on various projects and have experienced moments I will not forget for the rest of my career. The safety team has not failed to point me in the right direction and guide me to where I get the most out of this internship. My favorite memory this summer was going through the DISA department assisting with performing confined space checks and a team member stopping to tell me, ‘Hey man, we really appreciate you guys and what you all do for us.’ It made me remember why I chose this career and how important it is.”

Additive Manufacturing Engineer Intern, Hayden Brock, shared “This internship has given me the most CAD experience that I've ever had, enabling me to design and 3-D print things such as gauges for quality, lifting devices to help our operators, and custom core boxes. I've also learned more about the casting process and what all goes into turning raw materials into finished parts. Everyone, especially the product engineering team, has been very helpful in answering my many questions. Tyler Union has given me a great example of what a workplace's culture can be. Even though I am new to the industry, and young in general, no one just tossed my inputs to the side, but, instead, explored them with me. I recommended that we had the capability to 3-D print gauges for quality, and that all we had to do is buy stronger plastic for the printer. The team decided to adopt that idea, which made me feel pretty cool.”

Safety Intern, Connor George, shared, “My internship in the safety department at Tyler Union has been a valuable foundation for my career in occupational safety. Working on projects such as creating safety training videos, helping support the Lockout/Tagout program, and assisting with other project areas has improved my skills and knowledge of workplace safety. Performing assessments for the new Large Diameter Foundry was also a key experience builder. My favorite experience was having the opportunity to join a safety audit for another facility.”

Human Resources Intern, Grace Ivey, shared, “This internship has provided me with valuable real-world knowledge and experience. It has exceeded my expectations and has significantly contributed to my learning and growth for my future career. I couldn't have asked for a better team to help me to understand and learn about the world of human resources.”

IT Intern, Denzel Stinson, shared, “Working under a network administrator during my internship has been an eye-opening experience that bridged the gap between theory and practice. I’ve gained hands on exposure to configuring routers and switches, monitoring network performance, and troubleshooting connectivity issues all of which are foundational to my future in IT. One of the most memorable moments was assisting in a sales team upgrade project, where I saw firsthand how strategic planning and teamwork can transform infrastructure. The mentorship I received was invaluable; my supervisor not only guided me technically but also encouraged me to ask questions and think critically about long term solutions.”

CMMS Intern, Deuntae Winston, shared, “My internship has helped prepare me to enter my career field by helping me get familiar with a company environment. It’s been helpful to see a teamwork environment in action, and this internship has provided experiences that will help me adapt quickly during changing situations. I have gained lots of hands-on experience through completing tasks that I feel will be beneficial for my future.”