For Dillon Derose, a Level Two Engineering Technologies student at Tolles Career & Technical Center, learning doesn’t stop in the lab. Through an internship at Superior Plastics, Dillon is gaining hands-on experience inside a working manufacturing environment while completing his senior year.
Dillon began his internship in August, just before the school year started. Since then, he has rotated through several departments to better understand how the company’s injection molding operation works.
Superior Plastics produces molded plastic components used across several industries, primarily automotive. Inside the facility, plastic pellets are melted and injected into molds to create parts, with dozens of machines running production throughout the day.
Dillon Derose, a Level Two Engineering Technologies student at Tolles, works on an injection molding machine during his internship at Superior Plastics. He is pictured with Greg Boser, senior manufacturing engineer, who has served as a mentor throughout the experience.
During his internship, he has learned how the molding presses operate and how molds are installed, removed, and maintained. Some molds are small enough to handle easily, while others are large enough to require a crane to move.
The rotation through departments is designed to help interns understand the full manufacturing process before working on engineering challenges.
“You train in each department to understand the entire process,” Dillon explained. “That way, if you want to implement something new, you understand how everything works and how it affects the people involved.”
Now working in the engineering department, he is helping troubleshoot issues and solve problems that arise during production.
His supervisor says Dillon has quickly become a valued member of the team.
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders and brings really good ideas to the table when we’re brainstorming,” said Greg Boser, Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Superior Plastics. “I definitely appreciate his attitude, and he’s a great team member who works well with everybody.”
Dillon credits his experience at Tolles for helping prepare him for the workplace, particularly when it comes to communication and problem solving.
Growing up, he was already drawn to mechanical systems. His father, a mechanic, taught him how to work on cars at an early age, which sparked his interest in understanding how things work.
By eighth grade, he began exploring engineering as a possible career path. When Tolles visited his home school, London High School, he knew it was the direction he wanted to pursue.
Looking back, he says choosing Tolles helped set him on the path he wants for his future.
“Going to Tolles was the greatest decision of my life. It’s put me on a path I want to pursue in my future career.”
His instructor in the Engineering Technologies program at Tolles Career & Technical Center says experiences like this allow students to apply what they learn in the lab to real engineering environments.
“Dillon is an exceptional student who works well with his peers and is always eager to learn something new and apply his skills to solve problems,” said Zach Orme, Engineering Technologies Instructor at Tolles Career & Technical Center. “Internships give students the opportunity to see how the knowledge and skills they develop in the engineering lab translate directly into real-world applications and future career opportunities.”
After graduation, Dillon plans to pursue engineering in college and is exploring opportunities through the Naval ROTC program at Miami University.
For now, he is focused on continuing to learn through real-world experience.
At Superior Plastics, that includes tackling new challenges and learning from them along the way.
“I have freedom to fail and make mistakes, learn and grow from it.”
Experiences like Dillon’s internship at Superior Plastics are part of how Tolles Career & Technical Center connects students with real workplaces across Central Ohio. Through internships and cohort placements, students gain hands-on experience while employers help develop the next generation of skilled talent.
Businesses interested in partnering with Tolles to host student interns, or students interested in learning more about internship opportunities, can contact Steve Cawley, Tolles Internship Coordinator at scawley@tollestech.com.