KA’s 2019 interns reflect on their summer | Part II
The summer months are a critical time for construction, and there’s no better time to welcome a group of college interns for hands-on learning in roles across the industry. This summer 15 college interns have been gaining valuable professional experience and mentorship working on projects spanning all five KA offices. Below are some of their reflections on their summer at KA, what they learned, and what they hope for their future careers.
Bazen Leul – Project Engineer Intern, Minneapolis
School attending and major:
Minnesota State University – Mankato, Construction Management
Career Goals:
A successful project manager in 5 years and my own construction company in 10 years.
Biggest takeaway from working at KA:
Integrity and hard work.
Highlight from the summer:
Getting to work closely with the architect and the owner to create and close out punch list items.
Biggest challenges:
Getting used to the construction vocabulary/slang.
Any advice to a new intern:
Be a sponge and soak up all of the information.
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Tanner Boson – Project Engineer Intern, Minneapolis
School attending and major:
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Construction Management
Career Goals:
To be in a position where I can continuously grow my experience, knowledge and interest in the construction industry. Project Management and potentially interested in working to a senior management position after putting in and gaining the necessary time and experience.
Biggest takeaway from working at KA:
Everyone is willing to help you or answer any question you have. KA has a great culture and really focuses on the experience and learning for their employees and interns and make you feel welcome and helpful in everything you do.
Highlight from the summer:
Once a week my mentor AJ Lillesve and I would sit down for a couple of hours and go over “Domains and Standards” of being a project manager. Basically it was a time for me to ask any and all questions I had about anything construction related or project specific things that I did not understand, needed more clarification on, or was just generally curious about. We usually tried to have a topic each week and after going over it together, AJ would assign me a responsibility or task that related to that topic for me to complete and was a great help in putting the things I previously didn’t understand or I’ve learned in a classroom into a real life work setting.
Biggest Challenges:
Trying to take in and learn everything that comes at you. There’s so much you don’t know as an intern and things happen fast so trying to pick up on things and retain that knowledge to better yourself and your understanding of the complex built environment as a whole.
Any advice to a new intern:
It’s cliché to say, but ask questions. Everyone understands you’re young and inexperienced and don’t know much about anything and is more than willing to sit down with you and answer whatever questions you have. Especially ask questions when you’re working on a task so you gain and understand what it is you’re doing, why it’s important, and to make sure you’re doing it correctly.
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Breanna Nava, Project Engineer Intern – Twin Cities
School attending and major:
Minnesota State University Mankato, Construction Management
Career Goals:
Obtain a full time position as a PM before I graduate. Work with sustainable building materials/methods.
“I feel very lucky to have had an internship with a company and team that kept what I need in mind. I got a well-rounded experience and got to spend a lot of time in the field, which is exactly what I wanted.”
Highlight from the summer:
Working at Regions Birth Center gave me an opportunity to watch a unique structural process. They used a form table system, and as they finished the pour on one floor, the crane would lift the entire table form up to the next level to begin concrete pours there.
Biggest challenges:
Learning construction lingo/abbreviations.
Any advice to a new intern:
Ask questions and never act like you understand something if you really don’t, and don’t be afraid to make a mistake – it’s going to happen but it shows you are trying.
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Nick Allen – Graphics Production Intern, Circle Pines
School attending and major:
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Graphic Design
Career Goals:
I would like to be a graphic designer in NYC.
Biggest takeaway from working at KA:
Always try to make as many connections as possible.
Highlight from the summer:
Getting to use all of the equipment available at the KA Yard.
Biggest Challenges:
Time management, when there is a lot on my plate.
Any advice to a new intern:
Try your best everyday, even if it’s a bad day. Try to bring a positive energy to work everyday.
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Jack Benson – Field Engineer Intern, MAC
School attending and major:
University of Wisconsin – Stout, Construction Management
Career Goals:
Gain as much field experience as possible and become a field superintendent.
Biggest takeaway from working at KA:
It’s a large company with a small, welcoming feel. Everyone I met wanted to help and welcomed me into the family.
Highlight from the summer:
Walking the site daily with my mentors, touring other KA jobsites, and jobsite grill outs.
Any advice to a new intern:
Take notes and write down information. Ask whatever and as many questions as you want. If you want to learn something or try anything during your internship, just ask, and KA will do their best to teach you what you want to learn.
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Weston Gumbert – Field Engineer Intern, Madison
School attending and major:
University of Wisconsin – Madison, Civil Engineering
Career Goals:
I’d like to stay in construction project management and eventually get my PE license.
Biggest takeaway from working at KA:
Effective communication leads to fewer schedule delays and cost overruns.
Highlight from the summer:
Being involved in our new KA Wisconsin office buildout.
Biggest Challenges:
When involved in multiple projects it’s difficult to know a lot about every single project, whereas someone involved in only one project would have very in-depth knowledge of that project.
Any advice to a new intern:
Ask a lot of question to PMs, superintendents, subcontractors, etc. Work to strengthen your communication skills and create relationships by getting out of your comfort zone. Get out in the field as often as you can – superintendents and subcontracts are great resources and generally enjoy teaching you what they know.
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