Blog Entries

Internships are a great opportunity to gain real world professional experience before graduation. Each summer, Miron Construction welcomes a number of interns to work in all areas of our company. Every intern’s experience is unique. Rather than us tell you about it, we have invited fifteen interns to share their journeys on our blog over the next few months. In previous posts, we met Tyler, Ben, and Makayla. Today, we introduce Jack.

JACK BROOKS – ESTIMATING INTERN

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
My name is Jack Brooks, and I am from Oshkosh. I attend Marquette University, majoring in environmental engineering.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN INTERN WITH MIRON?
I started my internship with the estimating department in the middle of May. When looking for internships, I did a lot of research about open positions and Miron really stood out to me as a great company to work for.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION?
I am not exactly sure what kind of career I am interested in right now. I am trying to gain experience in as many fields as I can before I graduate, and construction seemed like a great place to start. So far I have really enjoyed my experience in the construction industry.

WHAT IS THE COOLEST THING YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR THIS SUMMER?
I have learned many cool things this summer. I really enjoy comparing the quotes from sub-contractors on bid day and figuring out who has the best number.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
My favorite part of my internship so far, hands down, is the competition on bid day. I am a very competitive person, so I always want to win. There is no better feeling than seeing the results of a bid – especially when the results are in our favor.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
Miron self-performs so many operations, so it is sometimes hard to decipher the plans and figure out what we’re going to do. My mentors have been very helpful in walking me through it; they make it a lot easier for me to figure out and succeed.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR INTERNSHIP IS BETTER PREPARING YOU FOR THE FUTURE? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?
Yes, this internship is preparing me for the future. Not only am I learning a very specific skill, but I am also learning a very broad field. I am learning about the building process and how a project goes from planning to completion. This internship is teaching me responsibility, organization, and – most importantly – it is teaching me to be responsible for my actions.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER STUDENTS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR INTERNSHIP?
The best advice that I can give is to ask as many questions as possible. Everybody in this department knows a tremendous amount about construction, and they will always be willing to help you and answer your questions. Also, don’t wait for someone to give you work. The most effective way to learn is through hands-on experience; you may not always be given work to do, so be proactive and ask for some.

Thanks, Jack. Check back next week to meet another Miron intern who will be joining our blog for the summer.

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