This summer IEI welcomed ten students to experience what it means to work for a national civil engineering firm through our in-office summer internship program. Our Chicago, Indianapolis, and New York offices hosted seven aspiring engineers, and three interns who were interested in learning the business side of the firm worked with the Business Development, Marketing, and Human Resources teams. “It was great that we had the opportunity to come into the office and go to job sites. Most of my fellow students were limited to virtual internships this summer,” said SIU-Edwardsville senior Keanu Rodriguez.
The interns participated in a rotation of projects varying between design and construction in order to provide them with exposure to multiple facets of civil engineering and experience working with multiple mentors. They contributed to live projects and were responsible for deliverables, developing MicroStation and Civil 3D skills along the way. The group of interns and their mentors even enjoyed a field trip to view the extensive construction project underway at McClugage Bridge in Peoria, IL. In her end-of-summer presentation, Katie Lev from Northwestern University commented, “The rotation system was so beneficial. The strongest attribute of IEI is the sense of community. Everybody was so eager to help us learn.” “I’ve accomplished the goals that I set for myself at the beginning of this internship. There isn’t enough time to talk about everything that I learned this summer,” added Ahmed Idris from Bradley University.
IEI’s President, Kashif Khan, PE offered parting advice to the interns on their final day, “Start thinking about the business aspect of engineering, not just the technical. It takes a holistic
approach to be a successful engineer. Seek out classes that are not traditional engineering, like public speaking, accounting, and marketing. Your understanding of business and relationships will set you apart as you grow in your career.” IEI looks forward to continuing the success of this program and welcoming a new group of interns in 2022.