Whiting-Turner had a formal intern program that included both social and professional events. One of my favorite social events was the Whiting-Turner Intern Summer Olympics.
Name: Colin Sample
Major: Civil
Employer: Whiting-Turner
Location: Towson, MD
How did you find the internship/co-op? What was the interview process like? I first was interested in Whiting- Turner when I attended the company's info session at the Hall CP. I then saw them in a more professional setting at the Chi Epsilon Career Fair where I gave them my resume and a few days later I was emailed by a representative from the company to set up an interview. For me, I had one interview with a Division Vice President and after the interview I was offered the position of an engineering intern.
What have been the most interesting aspects of your internship? As this was my first internship, I would say the entire experience was interesting as I was learning new things every day about the industry. However, the most interesting aspect of the internship was learning about qualifying subcontractors, which is a huge part of the process, as it takes a lot of liability off the general contractor. The complex process is very in-depth and it was interesting what criteria the subcontractors were compared to.
How would you describe the company culture? What was the most helpful thing your supervisor did to make you feel comfortable at the organization? I absolutely loved the company culture at Whiting- Turner, I always felt like I was welcomed. The way Whiting- Turner works is that there are different groups in the company, so even though it is a large company, you feel that you are part of a smaller team. During my summer I got to go down to Annapolis to my group's annual meeting and it was a great opportunity. The project that I was on, it was solely just my supervisor and I, so she would always make sure I had things to do and was checking in on me, which made me feel useful and comfortable.
Was there a formal program for all interns at the company? Was peer support available throughout the internship? Yes! Whiting-Turner had a formal intern program that included both social and professional events. One of my favorite social events was the Whiting-Turner Intern Summer Olympics. This event was held on a field and all the interns were separated into teams and we went around completing team activities. Some of the professional learning events they hosted were workshops that focused on construction scheduling and BIM. Furthermore, my project manager was always available to answer any questions and was teaching me things throughout my time there.
How have your career or academic goals changed as a result of this internship experience? During my internship, I was in the preconstruction phase of the project. After concluding my internship I realized that I definitely do not want to be solely working in preconstruction in the future. I need a good balance between the office and the actual construction site.
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