Table of Contents
Introduction
This internship has allowed me to learn how I act and perform in an environment that receives many different inputs that can lead to unexpected outcomes. As an intern, I acted as an assistant to the project superintendent for most of my internship. I often did repetitive tasks, such as sweeping the roads and office trailer. However, I also was able to demonstrate my potential as I was put into more important positions, such as watching over the construction site while the superintendent was gone.
Internship Search and Acquisition Process
I began my search for an internship like most at the career fair. For me, the career fair was a learning experience as I did not receive any internship offers. The only preparation I did for the career fair consisted of briefly looking over a few of the companies’ websites. This is the greatest reason I did not receive any interview offerings from the career fair. Everything I learned the night before had been forgotten with the nervousness caused by the career fair. This failure lit a fire inside of me. I did not want to postpone my internship by a semester, so I started searching online. I found a company that constructed some of the buildings of Texas A&M’s campus, so I decided to contact the company through a telephone call to see if internships were being accepted. Through this conversation, we selected a date for the interview. The interview was conducted by the Vice President of the company and I received the internship.
Orientation Process
My internship orientation began with watching safety videos in the safety director’s office. The videos reviewed a few of the topics covered in COSC 364 – Construction Safety. During the safety videos, the safety director was informed that he needed to teach to a group of the company’s workers of the measures that are to be taken when working around bat guano. I attended the meeting and continued watching the videos after the meeting was adjourned. After the safety videos, I received a hardhat and a safety vest that displayed the company’s logo on them. The rest of my day consisted of shadowing the vice president of the company. We visited three construction sites. The last construction site is where I would spend most of my internship. The drive back from the internship was important as I interviewed the vice president of the company. I asked him questions regarding the internship as well as questions regarding personal career advice.
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Organizational Chart
Communications Skill Enhancement
When I began my internship, I had a light anxiety when talking to people such as the subcontractors and owners. As my internship progressed, I achieved a greater knowledge of the project and became more confident when speaking to these individuals. The greatest lesson I learned regarding communication skills is that knowledge of a subject strengthens communication skills. Knowledge of the project provided responses that I was able to give when I was asked. To obtain this knowledge, I studied the project plans, specifications and other contract documents.
Meeting Attendance/Participation
The meetings I attend are usually owner/architect/contractor meetings. They are an hour long, and the owner’s representative usually determines when it is time to start talking about the following topic. I have attended a mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) coordination meeting once and a safety meeting once. The Owner Architect Contractor (OAC) meetings typically concern the progress of the projects but also covers the progress of requests for information (RFI) and payment information.
The MEP coordination meeting utilized a telephone conference call and a computer program where the subcontractors could upload their models. The project engineer was the lead coordinator of the MEP meeting. The safety meeting was about bat guano and the safety precautions that are to be taken. I am usually just an attendee. I take notes throughout the meetings to achieve a greater understanding of the project and the processes associated with it. The notes also serve as a personal record of each meeting that can be referred to when needed.
Applied Skills and Knowledge Acquired
Time Management
Waking up earlier made the greatest impact on my time management skills. I wake up at 5:30 every morning to prepare myself for the day. On the drive to the construction site, I often stop by the grocery store to buy coffee and breakfast. This assists the process of waking me up while also providing me with energy. Writing down my daily tasks as they are assigned to me is another time management procedure that exhibit. Writing down my tasks helps ensure that I complete them as I am less likely to forget them.
Key Lessons Learned
Because I am the superintendent’s assistant, I have developed a close relationship with the superintendent. I find this relationship unique because we seem to have a rewarding friendship despite our 41-year age difference. He has taught many valuable lessons from his perspective that I will remember for the rest of my life. One of the more important lessons he taught me was to develop relationships with the subcontractors. Establishing relationships with the subcontractors can lead to a smoother project and more positive environment. People are more likely to work together as a team if there are established relationships. One admirable characteristic that the project superintendent displays is that he does not lie. He wholeheartedly believes that there is no reason to lie as it will lead to more problems. The trait is admirable because it takes courage to speak the truth when it may impact you negatively. Witnessing the project superintendent display this courageous behavior has reaffirmed my position on this ethical practice.
Recommendations
I am satisfied with the internship. I have learned more about myself than I expected. The internship pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to demonstrate that I can succeed in areas of discomfort. The greatest example of this is when the project superintendent left me in charge of the construction because he left early. My greatest recommendation I would have for the company is to have a greater emphasis on technology on the construction site. Technology such as tablets can make it easier to integrate technology on the construction site. Being able to carry the project plans with you on a tablet allows saves time and space, allowing you to operate more efficiently. Wearable technologies can allow for a safer workplace as things such as heart rate and location tracking can be recorded.
