The Intern Experience
Welcome back students. With August comes the end of the Summer and the beginning of a new school year (and FOOTBALL SEASON). Hopefully your time away from the classroom - if, in fact, you were away from the classroom - was time well spent. For me, time well spent during the Summer means staying productive, despite all the obvious distractions.
Each of the past 3 Summers we've had the help of a few interns who have exceeded expectations (not surprisingly, each of the interns has been a VT student, which means expectations are already high before they're even put to work) and have been a great asset to the work environment. Interns that I've worked with have done everything from Q/C plan review to lot grading to storm and sanitary sewer design. They've attended meetings with me (and in some cases, FOR me), and I've been able to introduce them to some aspects of land development that maybe he or she was unfamiliar with.
This kind of positive experience benefits everyone involved. As an intern you've got the opportunity to test the waters a little, maybe find out if this is the direction you want to go with your education and your eventual career. You get to test your skills as an engineer, and apply what you've learned in the classroom to real-world situations. You get to test and hone your communication skills. And, if you're lucky, you've found permanent employment once you've got that diploma in hand.
From an employer standpoint, I can say that a productive intern makes it easier to distribute work, which makes it easier to get more done in less time, which makes clients happy, which means we make money! Having responsible, knowledgeable help for the Summer is great for business, and it doesn't hurt to add someone else to my own contact list knowing that he or she could be a great addition to my office when the next Summer comes along or, even better, when they're ready to join the full-time work force.
I hope some of you had the opportunity to work this Summer. Any positive (or negative) experiences to share? Maybe some things you learned that you'll take back to the classroom this semester? Or tips for fellow classmates seeking out internships? Questions or comments, voice 'em.
Good luck with the first round of classes.
Each of the past 3 Summers we've had the help of a few interns who have exceeded expectations (not surprisingly, each of the interns has been a VT student, which means expectations are already high before they're even put to work) and have been a great asset to the work environment. Interns that I've worked with have done everything from Q/C plan review to lot grading to storm and sanitary sewer design. They've attended meetings with me (and in some cases, FOR me), and I've been able to introduce them to some aspects of land development that maybe he or she was unfamiliar with.
This kind of positive experience benefits everyone involved. As an intern you've got the opportunity to test the waters a little, maybe find out if this is the direction you want to go with your education and your eventual career. You get to test your skills as an engineer, and apply what you've learned in the classroom to real-world situations. You get to test and hone your communication skills. And, if you're lucky, you've found permanent employment once you've got that diploma in hand.
From an employer standpoint, I can say that a productive intern makes it easier to distribute work, which makes it easier to get more done in less time, which makes clients happy, which means we make money! Having responsible, knowledgeable help for the Summer is great for business, and it doesn't hurt to add someone else to my own contact list knowing that he or she could be a great addition to my office when the next Summer comes along or, even better, when they're ready to join the full-time work force.
I hope some of you had the opportunity to work this Summer. Any positive (or negative) experiences to share? Maybe some things you learned that you'll take back to the classroom this semester? Or tips for fellow classmates seeking out internships? Questions or comments, voice 'em.
Good luck with the first round of classes.
