As an Engineering Intern, what are some ways I can become involved in more important projects?

Question

I have been employed as an intern in a mid sized company, working with 10 engineers. So far, I have been working on manuals, CAD drawings, and basically documentation of equipment awaiting release.

What tips do you have that can help me become more involved with design projects particularly, or any kind of general tips? Thx.

btw. this is a mechanical/electrical engineering position and I have finished my first year. I am working full time right now.

Answer 1

My advice would be for you to be grateful that you have an internship, and then to perform every little task that they give you to the best of your ability, because whether you know it or not you are being graded on everything that you do, and the better your attitude is with regard to performing the tasks that you are given, the more responsibility that you will get.
However, no first year student intern is going to get "involved" in any important projects, or even in any projects at all, for that matter.

We had some senior interns that we let get involved in some projects to the degree that they got to "check" some of the engineering calcs, and some of the simpler drawings as a learning experience, and sometimes they even picked up a few errors, however any work that they did was always reviewed and rechecked by someone else.
Our interns were usually graded on the basis of their attitudes, their ability to get along with others, and their enthusiasm for their work. (It also helps to ask a lot of questions and to be curious).

Answer 2

Well you can ask, but I've learned that people are busy with their own stuff that they typically don't have time to teach and babysit the intern. So the interns get stuck with the bitchwork.

Answer 3

show some APTITUDE

if you can design then your colleagues would have noticed