Deep within the walls of EHRA Engineering’s Meadowglen office lies, “Intern Valley,” an area designated to none other than a group of this summer’s interns. There, they are diligently working and developing their technical and soft skills in hopes of becoming the future of engineering. In honor of Intern Appreciation Day, July 30th, we wanted to take the time to view the internship experience through their eyes.
The Initial Interaction
Coming from different backgrounds, different experience levels and different opportunities, all of our interns found their way to EHRA Engineering this summer. A group inclusive of different grade classifications, different schools and different Civil Engineering exposure levels. Each individual as unique as the path that led them to our internship program. Let’s take Mariah Richardson, a sophomore Civil Engineering student at Prairie View A&M University heavily involved in both academic and social clubs in and out of school. Through her involvement in ASCE she was able to meet a team member at a “Women in Engineering” event she hosted whose connections landed her an interview, and the rest was history. In another instance, Kasey Winter, a Mechanical Engineering Major at Texas A&M University, stumbled across this opportunity at a career fair after she recognized the background image on our display to be a neighborhood she was quite familiar with. Coincidentally, the PM on that project was our EHRA representative, making an immediate connection and impression.
Continued Impressions
While we played a mutual game of impressions and impressing between both interns and recruiting team members to obtain the amazing bunch we have this summer, our team still had much to deliver. When asked what the biggest surprise was working at EHRA, answers were flooded with thoughts on the open and collaborative environment. Interns were in awe of our CEO and President, Jim Russ, wasting no time introducing himself to this year’s group, opening his heart and home away from home to them for the summer. Raul Martinez, a Civil Engineering student at Texas A&M University, was surprised to find all of our services under one roof, emphasizing the importance of fostering the collaboration and communication across teams and team members.
While interns may be applying to work here for the summer, it is our job to set them up for success and ensure they gain invaluable experience, and that starts with our first impression.
Challenges and Accomplishments
Daily tasks, new assignments and foreign software may all be things this group sees for the first time. What initially begins as a challenge can quickly evolve into the proudest accomplishment, as experienced by intern Victor Kapumba, a Civil Engineering student at the University of Texas at Tyler, with his first assignment at EHRA. While he had base knowledge in the industry; he couldn’t quite complete the assignment to his liking. Through the help of his mentors and the one-on-ones provided, he was able to learn the tips and tricks, overcome and find new ways to complete difficult tasks assigned. Not only did he gain a newfound confidence in his work, but he also learned the importance of leaning on fellow team members when needed.
Similarly, Raul also found his first assignment to be one of his proudest moments. This being his first internship, this was his first ever assignment. While it may have taken some adjustment to get his feet settled and to feel comfortable in his work, with the help of his team he was able to end up on top. Now his name can be found on official project documentation, which is quite an accomplishment. Although Victor and Raul work in different departments, they were able to find a similar experience all ending in growth cultivated by EHRA.
More Than Daily Work
At EHRA, we’re here to get stuff done; we’re here to complete projects, design roads, design neighborhoods, etc., but we’re also here to have a little bit of fun. From hanging out in “Intern Valley” watching the World Cup together, attending social events, going out to lunch and more, we strive to emulate a family culture: one where hard work and fun go hand in hand. That culture is reflected in the relationship built along the way. Of recent examples is one of Victor’s favorite moments, where every so often, team member, Don Barber, would wonder over to “Intern Valley” and ask who was in the mood for a type of food and then take them out to eat. Don then called out Victor specifically, since he hadn’t had the chance to connect with him yet, and that invitation for Japanese food developed into a lasting connection. On the other hand, spending the day with Marcus Snell visiting water facilities and standing on top of where water is cleaned and distributed to families and communities was truly a surreal moment that solidified Mariah’s career path.
Engineering the Future
It is our duty here at EHRA to provide exceptional work, but it is our honor and privilege to create meaningful connections and experiences in the process. Through our internship program we achieve just that. By spreading our love for the industry with the engineers of tomorrow, not only are we able to share our experiences and teach the future of our industry, but we get to learn equally from them, which is the most special part of this whole experience.
EHRA Engineering’s Intern’s Declassified Internship Survival Guide
Advice for Future Interns:
Out of Office Lunch 101:
To Bevi or Not to Bevi: