The Freescale Experience - A Summary

My first experience in a real working environment is finally over. 2 whole months just flew by. The following is a summary of this experience..

On my first day, I only had a rough idea where the Freescale building was located for I used to see it on my way to college when I was studying at Inti College Subang Jaya. It took me half an hour to find my way around the huge building, and reach the entrance which was located on the other side (not facing the Setia Jaya KTM station). It didn't take me long to figure the shortest route, and it was to be a 10-minute walk to and fro everyday, plus a 40-minute ride on the KTM each way. It really isn't an exaggeration (or any attempt to butter-up anyone.. lol) when I say that I was always enthusiastic to get to work. Perhaps, it was because it was only 2 months.. perhaps, it was because I wasn't constantly burdened with difficult assignments. Even so, I was happiest on the days I was tied down with work, rather than not having anything to do and just walking around the assembly line purposelessly with an unmistakable feeling of being patronized.

So what have I really accomplished within these 2 months at work? Well, I worked on a couple of projects - namely the TBGA substrate wash and the foreign matter mapping; the latter being where I feel I actually made a significant positive difference. I also helped out my colleagues with their work whenever I could, and in the process learnt a lot about the whole semiconductor packaging process. Not to mention the gems of people who took the time and effort to explain to me the fundamentals of the procedures and processes in various operation lines, ultimately giving me an idea of the bigger picture.

Technicalities aside, I also had the opportunity to make an observation on the workplace environment, the management system and its effectiveness. There are a number of people who seem very dedicated to the job, and have the company's well-being as their foremost priority. For these people, the extra hours they work does not seem to be an issue. In a world where selfishness and a lack of vision has gotten the human race moving along a different direction, I must say it was heartening to know that there still are people who give their all in their profession without much fuss. No, I do not think these people are fools who are naive and won't survive in today's 'competitive' world.. I believe they are visionaries, who see things in the long run.. who know that their tireless, hard work would lead to the company's progress, and in turn their own well-being as employees. The same goes for any institution. Take for instance an educational institution. It doesn't matter how great a school/college/university it may have been to date. What matters is the mind-frame of the people in it. If all of them are positive thinkers who see the glass half-full, then even the worst of schools would "miraculously" transform into a legendary institution. All it takes is a positive mind (minds in this case), and even more importantly - patience.

I also observed the importance of teamwork, and the need for a caring and understanding supervisor. Frankly, I learnt a lot about this, and a lot more in my Industrial Psychology class last semester. However, they were all in theory, and I am ever so grateful for being given a chance to observe them in practice, and in cases also experience them myself. No, I didn't learn much about things related to my major (Chemical Engineering, for those of you who may have forgotten.. tsk tsk), but I believe I've gained something more important than just an internship. Hence I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone at Freescale who have made my 2 months at the company truly unforgettable. Thank you!

Well well well.. we have a slightly longer than usual post here, so with nothing much to add, I think I'll wrap things up here. Adieu!

P.S: To those of you in Malaysia, I've only got another 2 weeks to go here, and I'm quite uncertain as to when I'd be coming home again, so please let me know when you're free and we could hang out some time soon. Take care!