Well, it's that time of year again when the students start searching for that summer job in hopes of adding to their experience and knowledge. I know so many engineers that hide and try to find every excuse possible to avoid the mass of resumes and calls that come in, dreading the administrative burden the addition of a summer intern may bring. In contrast, I know of other firms that look forward to this time of year when a helping hand is greatly appreciated amidst the amount of work that needs to be accomplished and not enough engineers to get it done. Thus, the question remains-does the summer intern bring value?

Value should be looked from different aspects and perspectives. First, what is the firm trying to accomplish with the use of a summer intern? We all know that little can be done in only 2-3 months and few assignments can be given that are start-to-finish. However, is the addition of the summer intern truly to add value to the work being performed by a particular firm? Can we truly say that without the summer intern we would never be able to accomplish our work? I seriously doubt it. What is important though is the value we as employers have to offer to the summer intern. Our profession and our industry desperately need bright individuals with a willingness to learn and to carry on 21st Century design and construction. Providing a home for a few weeks and providing an opportunity to a young engineer to work with other professional engineers and construction workers and to see the value that engineering as a profession has on the quality of life is really a very rewarding experience.

Last summer our firm had two summer interns from the Kochi University of Technology in Japan. The two engineering students spoke very little English, yet had a work ethic and desire to learn that drove our engineers to pitch in and do whatever was necessary to assist these two eager beavers. We taught them about CPM scheduling and databases, reviewed drawings and showed them the importance of accurate drawings. They learned about the impact that errors and omissions can have on the ongoing construction work. One of our clients took one of the students in the field for four weeks to assist in the daily reporting and observations and was amazed at how much work the student was able to contribute in such a short time. The students were so enjoyable that the staff almost felt "young" again themselves and began taking turns as to who would show them some "culture" at night or on the weekends. The experience was so rewarding for both our firm and the students that the University has asked if we would do it again this summer and the response was an overwhelming yes!

As engineers, we seldom have the opportunities to give back to the community and to our profession and to do something besides our day to day work that will add value. By taking the time to work with the young engineers of today and provide them an experience that they will not forget and in turn will enhance our profession adds value to our industry, our profession and our souls. On Easter weekend when I look to what I have done for someone else lately, it occurred to me that if all of us took more time to work with the younger folks today, that our life would be easier and our lives would be better for it. It may be a philosophical thought and idea, but I would suggest before you turn that summer intern request down, think about the value that you may be providing to your firm's and your profession's future.

April 14, 2007

I agree. I was thinking this article would compare the benefits vs. the costs of retaining an intern. Or even describing the situations in which interns can assist day-to-day. Can anyone offer a bad internship story (from the perspective of the employer?) For example, an intern that asks 30 minutes of questions for 5 minutes of work and just chit-chats on the phone for the rest of the day. There are good interns and bad interns, but there has to be universal ways to make the most from their time during the summer. Thanks!

Bryan Quinn

April 12, 2007

I agree with your points, however, I would have preferred an honest title. It inferred the reader was going to get their question answered on their value to the firm, not a soap box discussion on the societal value (again, which I agree with). However, when you use sensational headlines that are not consistent with the article it lessens the values of the articles and lessens the likelihood I would read another in the future.

Greg Sauter
DMJM Harris