Alva Manufacturing - Placentia, California

Catherine Pham

I had the opportunity to intern at Alva Manufacturing from May 2018 to August 2018 as a software engineering intern. Because the company was focusing its efforts on digitizing and going paperless, I had lots of opportunities to research and implement the latest technologies for automation and manufacturing processes. I was mentored by the Purchasing Manager and worked with them to develop tools and streamline processes within the customer service realm.

During our first few weeks here, we were able to attend a lean manufacturing summit at UCI that quickly brought ourselves up to speed with the latest trends in lean & smart manufacturing practices.

We all had a very hands on experience throughout the entire manufacturing process whether that be working with engineering drawings, tools and fixture organization, inventory management, purchasing, shipping, and receiving. The fellow interns and I also had a chance to tour various special processing & raw material facilities & nearby machine shops.

Most of all, I’ll miss working with the Alva family the most. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, I never felt hesitant about asking questions or asking for advice. The owner cares a great deal for all his employees. I definitely recommend interning here at Alva if you get the chance. The experiences that I’ve gained at Alva will for sure help me in my future career.

Claire Ma

Alva manufacturing is a great company to intern at. I was very involved in the day to day processes from the start of the internship and was able to get a lot of hands on experience as well. The people I worked with are all great people to work with. I was able to learn a lot about the manufacturing industry from my time here. Overall, this company is a great place to learn about the industry and gain engineering experience.

Casey Cushing

I previously had the pleasure of working at Alva Manufacturing. Alva is a young company breaking through walls in the manufacturing arena. It was an absolute pleasure to work there.

There are always new projects hitting the floor which keeps the work fresh and challenging. The machines and all equipment are in excellent shape.

I worked in the Quality Department. The machinists were great to work with, and there was always shop harmony. The pay was great and the hours as well. It is also a stress-free environment. Quality isn't that hard at Alva due to the fact everyone is on the same page and wants to provide the best product possible for the customer. Which makes Quality's job smooth.

My favorite part about Alva was the family environment. You really felt like you are part of family there. The owner is GREAT!!! He is always concerned with your personal well being. His parents work their as well. They are the most caring and kind people you will ever meet and are always concerned with how your day is going. Also, it is rare in this day and age to find an owner in manufacturing that is a hard/hungry worker. You will be amazed at the commitment, work ethic and care that the owner of the company shows. He is committed to making Alva successful and it is.

If you are offered the chance at employment at Alva, take it! This business is on the up and they make you feel like you are part of the family.

Alva Manufacturing is awesome!!!!

Justin Chow

Interning at Alva Manufacturing was a rewarding experience. The work environment here was very conducive to learning. All of the people in the office were extremely helpful in teaching you and guiding you throughout the manufacturing process. As an intern, I was mainly responsible for beginning the steps to digitize and implement lean manufacturing. Researching and talking to potential vendors about their products and learning about the different types of robotic assistants that were available was very rewarding. Overall, I believe that the experience I gained here about the manufacturing process applies to multiple different fields as well. As such, I will be able to take what I have learned here and utilize it well in my future career. Working at Alva was a time investment and opportunity that I greatly appreciated.

Aaron Chandra

Alva Manufacturing is a great place to gain experience and knowledge in the manufacturing industry. I was very involved with the day to day operations that helped me better understand the whole process of how medical and aerospace parts are manufactured. I was also involved in different engineering projects to improve the process of manufacturing the products. Everyone in the company is very helpful and they are willing to help you in any way they can. My overall internship experience was really great and I was able to gain a great deal of experience in both the aerospace and manufacturing industry.

Jesse Calleja

I work for Alva Manufacturing for a little bit more than a year. Mid size company which feels like home and has a friendly and family atmosphere. President is top notch and very knowledgeable.he cares for his employees and urges his employees to have family time. Wages and benefits are very good. Its a growing company. With the addition of a CEO they have a plan and vision for the future. If it wasn't for my commute I would still be there. Too notch company and I would give it 5 stars

Ryan Denton

I was fortunate enough to get an internship with this company over the summer. Despite them not needing or having room for an intern, they still gave me a chance. I would have to say this company allowed me to have many opportunities that I would not have gotten ANYWHERE else as an intern. Not only did I get to work on the engineering side of things, I got to work and see every step of the processes. This included purchasing, inventory, shipping, technical documents, inspection reports, inspections, and even getting to go to outside testing facilities. Even though the company is a mid sized company, they have seen rapid growth in just a few short years. I"m proud to say I was a part of the ever growing effort of this company to expand and help set it up for the future. With the company being around 20 people when I was there, I was able to get to know everyone and was treated as family almost immediately. I am grateful for everything that Alva MFG did for me, and now am better of in my future carries. I would definitely recommend someone who wants to expand there knowledge, while being able to be heard and help make changes to keep the company thriving.

Mark Powell

I had the chance to work for this great company. Unfortunately my stay was short coming. Due to the fact it was far from where I lived. I learned a lot from this company as part because they manufacture aero space parts. I fit right in. I wanted to relocate really bad to keep working there. O.C. is very expensive! They have a really good QC department. State of the art facility. Owner would go the extra mile for any of his employees... also I can return if I would relocate. Owner was down to Earth very diligent, nice, well respected, caring for everyone that worked for him. You have to know what your doing here. I was a set up/operator. Made different fixtures for this company. Your payed on DOE!! Alva has contracts with SpaceX, Northrop, Lockheed, JPL... they make the very best things for our COUNTRY!