Recent grads and mid-level career hunters don't be fooled by this company - Intern Caterpillar Employee Review

2.0
25 Nov 2009
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The name. Period. Looks good on a resume. Intern salary is based on how many credit hours you took the semester before you start your internship, so if you are an ambitious student you can receive good pay for the four months.

Cons

Where do I begin. Caterpillar is a household name in Peoria, but when working there it seems that company business should be in a gossip column instead of the business page. It does not matter the hard work you put in at CAT, it is who you know and what you can do for them. The work environment is unprofessional and condescending. Upper management will mislead you and depending on the area you work for you may or may not ever be able to climb the corporate ladder. Watch out for empty promises for promotions. CAT's "Core Values" are a farce to cover up for their underlying scheming mentality. Do not take anything for face value. Unqualified people are being promoted where as the hard workers are being overlooked. It goes back to the whole 80/20 rule... 20 percent of the people are doing 80 percent of the work... but it is that 20 percent that is being overlooked.

Explore other reviews about Caterpillar

5.0
7 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits Great WLB Great pay

Cons

Low mobility to move up within company

2.0
30 Apr 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You are treated with autonomy, dignity, and respect. It is assumed you know how to do your job and are given the trust and means to do so. Compensation is above market value. Uncapped professional growth if you know how to play your cards right.

Cons

Working at Burger King and living from my car in Northern Michigan during the middle of winter was preferable to working on-site in Peoria. Project work was inherently meaningless and dictated almost entirely by the caste system this company has in Central, IL. My relocation had absolutely nothing to do with the role at hand and was a power play by management to get me to become a bleed-yellow Peorian in the CAT-corporate social club. The company loyalty here is absolutely disgusting and has nothing to do with the viability of the brand or product. Everyone is enamored with the status and wealth they've attained on account of not performing hard, manual, life-threatening labor. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who actually cares about what goes on in the defense division or addressing the geopolitical anomalies between the former headquarters and the new business direction of the company.

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