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 Mary, Tyler, and Ben. Today, we introduce Makayla.

MAKAYLA KYRE – PROJECT MANAGEMENT INTERN

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
My name is Makayla Kyre and I’m entering my junior year at Northern Michigan University (NMU). I’m majoring in construction management with a minor in Spanish.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN INTERN WITH MIRON?
This is my first summer as a Miron intern. Being from the Detroit area, I wasn’t familiar with the company. In my research I was impressed by Miron’s community involvement and core values. I was really excited when I was offered an internship opportunity and didn’t hesitate to accept.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION?
Growing up, my dad would flip houses. Although I never really knew what it took to build a house, he would let me come see the projects he was working on and I would give him suggestions about the design. We became a great team. Entering college, I thought I wanted to be an entrepreneur just like my dad. However, after seeing the construction management program at NMU and learning more about the construction industry, I declared construction management as my major at the beginning of my sophomore year.

WHAT IS THE COOLEST THING YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR THIS SUMMER?
The coolest part about my internship is watching a project come together. To be a part of the building process is a great learning experience. I love seeing the progress of an idea being transformed into a final product.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
I love that my work isn’t just busy work, it’s what I would be doing if I was a project manager. I’m able to learn so much every day because of that; I don’t think most interns get to experience hands-on learning opportunities like this.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
The biggest struggle for me was coming into my internship as the only girl on the site with no previous construction experience. I was really intimidated and wasn’t sure what to expect. I think a lot of females share that feeling since women make up only 9% of the construction industry. Although, as I have gained more experience, I have also gained more confidence. I hope that I can be an encouragement for women of all ages to become more involved in the construction industry.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR INTERNSHIP IS BETTER PREPARING YOU FOR THE FUTURE? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?
I think the only way that you truly prepare someone for a job is to allow them to have first-hand experience. I feel as though I was able to do that from the start this summer. Internships can be a platform that supports future professional success and this opportunity has not only allowed me to excel professionally, but also in my education. I have a better understanding of the responsibilities of a project manager, and I know how to accomplish daily tasks. I will definitely have an upper hand going into classes this fall. I will also have an advantage professionally now that I have experience in the field.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER STUDENTS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR INTERNSHIP?
Just go for it! Getting a chance to work in the field is something that you shouldn’t pass up. I had to take a field operations course this past spring semester and essentially it was an internship prep course. We were introduced to RFI’s, submittals, transmittals, meeting minutes, etc. Even though I was “taught” how to generate these different types of paperwork, I never really knew how to do them correctly until I had to use them on the job. I think a lot of information that students learn during school is forgotten due to the lack of application. During an internship you are able to use your skills and expand on them every day. I am about halfway through my internship right now and time has flown by. I am extremely thankful for Miron and all that the team has done to help me transition in this internship. I’m in awe of how the Miron team treats their interns. They really go above and beyond to make sure their interns get the most out of their summer. Thank you for this opportunity, Miron! I’m thrilled to see what the rest of the summer holds.

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

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