What began as a four-month internship turned into an ongoing opportunity for Luis Salinas, a San Jacinto College alumnus whose hands-on experience at Dover Precision Components is now shaping both his education and his future career in engineering technology.
Salinas joined Dover Precision Components’ new product development team in 2024, working in the company’s research and development lab on projects tied to natural gas compressor technology. Rather than serving as an observer, he quickly became an active contributor, supporting data organization and analysis, operating specialized research and development equipment, and assisting with mechanical repairs and daily lab operations.
Luis Salinas (far left) with his team at Dover Precision Components
“Luis has been a great hand to our R&D lab technicians and engineers,” said Nick Sherick, Innovation Lab manager at Dover Precision Components. “He’s punctual, hardworking, and reliable — exactly what you hope for in an intern.”
Over time, Salinas’ mechanical understanding grew significantly as he gained confidence working with complex systems and tools.
“Luis has played an integral role in our highest-priority project by operating the equipment and performing the consistent tests necessary to move it toward completion,” Sherick said.
That growth and dependability prompted Dover Precision Components to extend Salinas’ employment beyond the original internship timeline.
“We hope to keep Luis throughout his entire internship availability,” said Sherick. “If most San Jacinto College interns are as dedicated as he is, I would absolutely recommend them to other businesses.”
For Salinas, the experience reinforced what he learned in the classroom at San Jac, particularly in hands-on courses focused on manufacturing materials and instrumentation.
“Those skills transfer directly to the manufacturing and oil and gas industries,” said Salinas.
Throughout his time at Dover Precision Components, Salinas strengthened technical skills such as data analysis, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, and tool usage, while also developing soft skills like time management, teamwork, and interpersonal communication.
Being offered continued employment came as an unexpected but welcome opportunity.
“It felt relieving to be able to keep my position when I was only expecting four months,” Salinas said. “This new opportunity gave me the stability to keep pursuing my education after graduating from San Jac.”
Salinas is continuing his academic journey at University of Houston-Downtown, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology in structural analysis and design and planning to graduate in fall 2027.
The internship also helped shape his long-term goals by exposing him to a wide range of tasks — some familiar, others challenging — that ultimately made him more well-rounded.
“This internship exposed me to tasks I was good at and tasks I wasn’t very good at,” said Salinas. “That experience, along with the insight I gained from my colleagues, has helped guide what I want to implement once I’m a full-time engineer.”
He credits San Jac with helping him build a competitive resume through hands-on projects and faculty connections, and he encourages other students to pursue internships even if they feel unqualified.
He also thanks faculty and staff who supported him along the way. Dr. Yaohui Lu, his engineering technology professor and faculty mentor, provided guidance throughout the two-year program and helped make the internship possible by establishing a partnership between the program and Dover Precision Components’ former vice president of engineering.
Tabitha Godinez helped strengthen his resume and served as a key liaison between San Jac and Dover Precision Components during the hiring process, and Sascha Guenzel, a secondary instructor in the program, helped him build practical manufacturing and technical skills through hands-on instruction.
Together, Salinas said, their encouragement, industry connections, and focus on real-world skill development played a critical role in preparing him for both the internship and his continued employment.
“At San Jac, engineering technology students have a lot of opportunities to gain ‘golden nuggets’ on their resumes,” Salinas said.
By working with San Jac as an industry partner, businesses can help shape the future workforce while benefiting from skilled interns and graduates prepared to contribute from day one.
By Jacquelynn Conger
