Comments on: When Construction Internships Go Bad… http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/ Michael Nelson's weblog covering current events / trends in construction management education, student construction competitions, and student outreach to encourage pursuit of construction related careers Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:43:19 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ian http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4855 Ian Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:54:45 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4855 Yeah... . . I suspect a lot of civil engineering students have similiar problems. I am actually a Construction Management major, who works full time during the day. I am surprised on a regular basis by people who attend night school with me and work at [gasp] Mcdonald's, or the local gas station. Prior to becoming an "office [assistant] manager", I was an ironworker. And let me tell you, things aren't much different in the field. On occasion you will meet someone who wants to teach you, but 99% of the time personality conflicts and self preservation win out, and you are kept in your place. "Don't worry about why you're doing it, just do it", and that's the bottom line. Eventually after about two to three years, you develop a decent understanding about what you are doing and why. Although it would be beneficial to someone in school to perhaps be involved in the actual "construction process", most of the field decisions are best left to the appropriate people. The tradesmen. Unless you intend upon spending several years (and i spent four which is nothing next to some of our foremen) working in the field as a laborer or foreman, you have no business worrying about what's going on on the ground. Your job is to facilitate communication, and be aware of conflicts. If you choose to be a "construction manager", and not work primarily as an engineer, your job is business, not engineering. The engineering credentials are useful because they supplement the knowledge that many professionals today developed through years and years of working in the field. How else are you going to know what anyone is talking about? My advice to anyone who is attending school to be a construction manager would be to just pay attention. As with any trade associated with the complicated process of producing a structure, open eyes and ears are going to teach you much more than an open mouth. And boy was this student right about what the field people think of you, but it's natural. For one reason or another, construction workers tend to be fairly simple minded. They don't like authority, especially when you're years younger than they are. To get their respect you merely have to talk to them respectfully, leave them alone when they are working, and be around long enough for them to recognize your face and know your name. Yeah… . .
I suspect a lot of civil engineering students have similiar problems. I am actually a Construction Management major, who works full time during the day. I am surprised on a regular basis by people who attend night school with me and work at [gasp] Mcdonald’s, or the local gas station. Prior to becoming an “office [assistant] manager”, I was an ironworker. And let me tell you, things aren’t much different in the field.
On occasion you will meet someone who wants to teach you, but 99% of the time personality conflicts and self preservation win out, and you are kept in your place. “Don’t worry about why you’re doing it, just do it”, and that’s the bottom line. Eventually after about two to three years, you develop a decent understanding about what you are doing and why.
Although it would be beneficial to someone in school to perhaps be involved in the actual “construction process”, most of the field decisions are best left to the appropriate people. The tradesmen.
Unless you intend upon spending several years (and i spent four which is nothing next to some of our foremen) working in the field as a laborer or foreman, you have no business worrying about what’s going on on the ground. Your job is to facilitate communication, and be aware of conflicts. If you choose to be a “construction manager”, and not work primarily as an engineer, your job is business, not engineering. The engineering credentials are useful because they supplement the knowledge that many professionals today developed through years and years of working in the field. How else are you going to know what anyone is talking about?
My advice to anyone who is attending school to be a construction manager would be to just pay attention. As with any trade associated with the complicated process of producing a structure, open eyes and ears are going to teach you much more than an open mouth.
And boy was this student right about what the field people think of you, but it’s natural. For one reason or another, construction workers tend to be fairly simple minded. They don’t like authority, especially when you’re years younger than they are. To get their respect you merely have to talk to them respectfully, leave them alone when they are working, and be around long enough for them to recognize your face and know your name.

]]> By: Randy http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4851 Randy Fri, 28 Aug 2009 23:08:53 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4851 I am a Sr. Project Manager with 15 years of construction management experience. My program (University of Cincinnati) required 6 quarters of co-op (paid internship) experience. The experience was instrumental in my professional development and for the most part positive. I can't say that it was all enjoyable. The environment can be tough, the hours long, and it was often "sink or swim" environment. My experience was quite different than yours in that the professionals I worked with were always willing to mentor me and give me advice. I am a Sr. Project Manager with 15 years of construction management experience. My program (University of Cincinnati) required 6 quarters of co-op (paid internship) experience. The experience was instrumental in my professional development and for the most part positive. I can’t say that it was all enjoyable. The environment can be tough, the hours long, and it was often “sink or swim” environment. My experience was quite different than yours in that the professionals I worked with were always willing to mentor me and give me advice.

]]> By: Alex http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4824 Alex Sat, 25 Apr 2009 04:31:08 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4824 I was a CM student 12 years ago and was able to take three internships with a medium sized Civil company. Each experience was different as I was on three different teams. The first summer I learned the most and my Project Manager had me really be hands on with a foreman and superintendent who layed out the site for nine different developments and a train grade separation. Additionally I worked on figuring out cycle times of equipment, did extra work take offs, and managed trucking, etc. I was able to see cofferdams being built and other cool construction...I had so much fun! The second summer I was with a totally different set of people on two highway projects and one private development. I learned way less and was almost encouraged by some of the staff to stay away from going into construction. There were 5 engineers and they were very a non conformist group. If you were five minutes late the definitely let you know. The Project Manager was hardly around and when he was his attitude was fairly negative (I learned later his wife had just been diagnosed with cancer so in retrospect I could hardly blame him for being in a bad mood). The Superintendent referred to me a "Funuge" which was short for F#!king New Engineer. Needless to say he didn't have a lot of time for me and I didn't get much out of my intership that summer. Fairly discouraged I took my third internship which was a new highway project and I was with a well seasoned Area Manager, Project Manager, Superintendent and a New Project Engineer. The team was very goal oriented and very efficient. The team was good at negotiating and controling all aspects of the project. The group wasn't really close knit one but as a team they knew how to perform. I learned a lot and gained some great knowledge and experience from this group. Overall I believe the company mindset and the people you work with will have a ton to do with what you will take from your internship experience. Good Luck! I was a CM student 12 years ago and was able to take three internships with a medium sized Civil company. Each experience was different as I was on three different teams. The first summer I learned the most and my Project Manager had me really be hands on with a foreman and superintendent who layed out the site for nine different developments and a train grade separation. Additionally I worked on figuring out cycle times of equipment, did extra work take offs, and managed trucking, etc. I was able to see cofferdams being built and other cool construction…I had so much fun!

The second summer I was with a totally different set of people on two highway projects and one private development. I learned way less and was almost encouraged by some of the staff to stay away from going into construction. There were 5 engineers and they were very a non conformist group. If you were five minutes late the definitely let you know. The Project Manager was hardly around and when he was his attitude was fairly negative (I learned later his wife had just been diagnosed with cancer so in retrospect I could hardly blame him for being in a bad mood). The Superintendent referred to me a “Funuge” which was short for F#!king New Engineer. Needless to say he didn’t have a lot of time for me and I didn’t get much out of my intership that summer.

Fairly discouraged I took my third internship which was a new highway project and I was with a well seasoned Area Manager, Project Manager, Superintendent and a New Project Engineer. The team was very goal oriented and very efficient. The team was good at negotiating and controling all aspects of the project. The group wasn’t really close knit one but as a team they knew how to perform. I learned a lot and gained some great knowledge and experience from this group.

Overall I believe the company mindset and the people you work with will have a ton to do with what you will take from your internship experience.

Good Luck!

]]> By: James Cordell http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4798 James Cordell Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:15:17 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4798 What was said is so true I am a construction management major. my previous internship was identical to your experience it is sad you would think there would be more mentoring from superiors I mean that is what we are there for What was said is so true I am a construction management major. my previous internship was identical to your experience it is sad you would think there would be more mentoring from superiors I mean that is what we are there for

]]> By: constructoblogger http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4774 constructoblogger Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:00:28 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4774 great post. i'm starting my new blog, http://constructoblog.wordpress.com , and this is just the sort of thing i hope to dissect. hope you don't mind me linking to your blog! the constructo-blogger great post.

i’m starting my new blog, http://constructoblog.wordpress.com , and this is just the sort of thing i hope to dissect.

hope you don’t mind me linking to your blog!

the constructo-blogger

]]> By: Uravashi http://cschool.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/when-construction-internships-go-bad/#comment-4772 Uravashi Fri, 02 Jan 2009 11:18:37 +0000 http://cschool.wordpress.com/?p=200#comment-4772 I am also with that student because i think that internship training for management studnt is very necessory and it should in proper manner. Companies should provide a good training to students because it makes the base of students. I am also with that student because i think that internship training for management studnt is very necessory and it should in proper manner. Companies should provide a good training to students because it makes the base of students.

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