Mine Engineering Intern, Landon Florkowski, has spent his summer at Prairie State working with unit mechanics, outby technicians, and communications technicians within the mine maintenance department.
Working with three different groups has given him a taste of everything, as each of these groups have different jobs underground. Landon assists in daily issues that may arise, including monitor problems, machinery issues, or permissibility.
Landon has really been enjoying the people he has worked with. He said, “They are very knowledgeable and are always willing to answer any questions I have or help me with any problem.”
Landon has learned a lot about how different systems work together to make the whole mine operate successfully. He has also been lucky to work on many different pieces of equipment. “This is important to me because one day I could be designing pieces of equipment, and this hands-on experience will allow me to design a better machine.”
While this internship hasn’t changed Landon’s future plans, it has allowed him to learn many things that he would not have experienced outside of this internship.
This fall, Landon will return to Southern Illinois University to complete his senior year of mechanical engineering. After graduation, his hope is to end up working near home, close to friends and family. His goal is to work somewhere he enjoys with one or two oil leases as side work.