Meet the 2016 Interns: Part 1
Summer is intern season at Kraus-Anderson, when promising students augment their course studies with real-world experience in our offices and on our jobsites. Exposed to many aspects of KA’s operations, approach and culture, their experience here includes hands-on work with KA teams, and the mentorship of seasoned professionals.
“KA’s reputation makes us a destination employer for some of the most promising students in our industry,” said Al Gerhardt, COO, Kraus-Anderson Construction Company. “Yet we know it is the personal relationships they make during their time here that becomes so instrumental in shaping their intern experience, and convincing them to make KA their career choice. Our employees’ set the example with insight, perspective, and day-to-day work ethic that can’t be found in the classroom.”
Here’s a snapshot of some of this year’s interns.
Name: Al Anderson, Project Engineer Intern
Studying: Senior, Construction Engineering Management
School: University of Wisconsin-Madison
KA office: Minneapolis
Mentor: Aaron Zabel, project manager
Working on: 2700 University and Mount Olivet project
Duties/responsibilities: Assisting with the day to day activities on site at 2700 University job. Assisting Aaron with the start up of the Mount Olivet project. Doing on screen takeoff.
What do you value about your intern experience at KA: Getting Exposure to a lot of different aspect of the construction industry. Being on two separate project that are at two completely different phases gives me great insight on the flow of projects. Which is usually hard to find during a summer internship.
Advice to a new intern: Ask a lot of questions the people at KA really are willing to help with anything you want to learn.
Name: Benjamin Pederson, Field Intern
Studying: Senior, Construction Management, North Dakota State University
KA office: Bismarck, ND
KA Mentor: Ross Wilmes
Working on: University of Mary
Duties/responsibilities: I am currently onsite working with Matt Blaskowski as a field superintendent. I help manage day to day operations and verify any details for subcontractors. I currently do RFI and Submittals. Also travel with Tucker and Jeff, other PM’s in the Bismarck office, to job sites through North Dakota observing what PM’s do on a day to day basis.
Advice to a new intern: Take every advantage you can.
Name: Brad Pastika, Project Engineer Intern
KA office: Rochester, MN
Studying: Senior, Construction Management, Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Working on: 501 on First
Duties/responsibilities: Writing RFI’s, submittals, pre-punch lists, and following up on products being manufactured and delivered.
Takeaways: It was an amazing experience and a wonderful atmosphere. Everyone was more than happy to help me when I needed it, and they all helped me learn more than I was expecting.
Name: Haylee Albrecht, Accounting Intern
KA Office: KA Realty
Studying: Senior, Accounting and Business Administration, University of Jamestown
Career Goals: I’d like to be a traveling CPA.
KA Mentor: Jason Faith
Duties/responsibilities: Entering invoices for accounts payable, preparing budgets and reforecasts, and various other projects.
Takeaways: Everyone is very friendly and has a great work ethic.
Name: Joseph M. Erickson, Field Engineer Intern
KA Office: Circle Pines
KA Mentor: Rob Puncochar, project superintendent
Studying: Fourth year of a Five-year program, Construction Management with minors in Actuarial Sciences, Business Administration and Math, MNSU Mankato
Working on: New Ulm JE-MS
Takeaways: Kraus-Anderson is a smart and contemporary operation with an emphasis on customer and employee relations. They would be a killer company to work for due to the fact that they appear to treat their employees exceptionally well.
Advice to a new intern: Work hard. Show up early. Stay late.
Name: Kenzie Hart, Human Resources Intern
Studying: Sophomore, Human Resource Management, University of Minnesota Duluth
KA Office: Circle Pines
KA Mentor: BriAna Vogel
Duties/Responsibilities: Working with the HR team at KA working on filing, data entry, etc.
Highlights: One of my most valuable experiences here has been my exposure to different duties in the HR field.
Name: Seamus Kelly, Accounting Intern
KA office: Minneapolis
Studying: Senior, Accounting major with a Management minor, Iowa State University
KA Mentor: John Rogoz
Duties/responsibilities: insurance compliance and the prequalification of our subs. My internship has also included work on special projects within the accounting department.
Takeaways: Two words I would use to describe KA that go hand and hand are growth and education. Over my two summers I’ve seen the time and energy that KA puts into the growth of their employees as workers, people, and as a company.
Highlights: Asking questions. I have learned not to be afraid to ask questions and speak up when you don’t know something or something is unclear.
Advice to a new intern: Own the experience. KA gives you the resources and tools to succeed but it’s up to you to be active in the office and learn the most you can!
Megan Geiser, Project Engineering Intern
KA Office: Wisconsin
Studying: Senior, Construction Management, UW-Stout
KA Mentor: Peter Linsmeier
Working on: Subaru/Kia dealership, Janesville; and Toyota dealership, West Allis.
Duties/Responsibilities: Take jobsite progress photos, write RFI’s for questions on site; cold calls for bid solicitation, attend weekly progress meetings, maintain accurate drawing log, perform drawing audits, maintain on-site SWPPP information, help make first draft of an egress plan. I’ve also been able to attend a groundbreaking event as well as a public bid opening.
Highlights: I think that the intern program is really set up for you to succeed. You are provided with so many resources through your mentor and your project teams that you can always get the help or clarification that you need. You are set up with meaningful tasks that are important to the outcome of the job and are always encouraged to take on more responsibilities if you feel that you can handle them. You are always getting new things to work on and it really helps you to grow throughout the internship experience.