Organizing the Event

2026 was DMC’s second year hosting SWE externs, but the organization itself has a storied history. For over seven decades, the organization has centered itself around giving women engineers a voice and opportunities in STEM, and today the organization has 21,000 members and 300 student sections around the country.

DMC engineers and the Recruiting team first came up with the idea to partner with SWE in 2024. A few DMC engineers participated in SWE events throughout their college careers, seeing firsthand the impact an organization like SWE can have on professional growth.

They reached out to prominent universities in the Chicago area, invited students to apply for an externship, and designed a series of hands-on activities for groups to complete over the course of two days. It’s a great opportunity for young engineers to gain hands-on experience with tools they may not see in the classroom and to solve real engineering challenges they might encounter in their careers.

DMC’s 2026 SWE Externs & Itinerary

Students in the 2026 SWE Externship came from the University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The eight participants took part in the two-day program on January 6 and 7, where they were split into groups and guided through hands-on lab experiences by members of the Automation and Test & Measurement teams.

After completing the labs, the students networked with team members of the DMC Chicago office over lunch, attended a demo of our custom-built “Drop Bot”, and listened to project presentations created by DMC engineers. The event concluded with a 30-minute Q&A session with DMC CEO Frank Riordan.

Automation Lab

The Automation Lab was designed to show externs how to work in TIA Portal to program a Siemens 1212 PLC using ladder logic to control a two-way stoplight at an intersection. After reviewing the P&ID and functional specification, they structured the code by defining inputs, building a state machine for reliable operation, and setting outputs to control the lights.

They then downloaded their program to the PLC and tested system behavior using physical lights and a TP700 Comfort HMI panel, verifying that the stoplights responded correctly. The lab mirrored the planning, programming, and commissioning processes used in DMC automation projects.

Test & Measurement Lab

The Test & Measurement lab introduced the externs to industry hardware. Using an NI cDAQ with digital output and analog input modules, they sent signals and collected data from a simulated four-way intersection, applying their knowledge of signals to understand how the system responded. They began by using NI MAX to identify which signals corresponded to specific outputs, mirroring a common troubleshooting approach.

With this foundation, externs transitioned to programming in LabVIEW to build a more customized simulation of the intersection. They explored the graphical programming environment and considered ways to improve usability, gaining insight into how DMC consultants approach projects by first understanding existing systems and then enhancing them to better meet user needs.

Conclusion

The 2026 SWE externs made valuable connections with DMC engineers and gained hands-on experience with tools they may not encounter in the classroom. Just as importantly, the externship gave DMC engineers the opportunity to mentor and support the next generation as they prepare for their careers. We’re excited to continue building on this experience and look forward to hosting future SWE externships, creating even more opportunities for students to engage with our team, explore engineering in practice, and see what it’s like to be part of DMC.

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