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 a previous post, we met Mary. Today, we introduce Tyler.

TYLER CRISP – PROJECT MANAGEMENT INTERN

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
My name is Tyler Crisp and I will be a sophomore this fall at Northern Michigan University. I am working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management with a minor in Business Administration.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AN INTERN WITH MIRON?
This is my first summer with Miron. I chose Miron because it is a family-oriented company, with an outstanding reputation in the construction industry. I remember when I first learned about Miron at my fall career fair. The one thing that really stood out to me was how invested the company is in hiring summer interns, and giving the opportunity for students to come in and get their feet wet before graduating from college. That was something I thought was awesome.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN CONSTRUCTION?
I really became interested in a career in construction my junior year of high school when I took an Introduction to Construction class. This class really opened my eyes to what the construction industry has to offer, as well as an overview of how construction sites are run. At the same time, my high school was undergoing a remodel and expansion. Unfortunately, Miron was not the General Contractor, but I was still able to watch a construction site first-hand.

In addition to the exposure I received in high school, I also helped my dad with projects around the house and have always been fascinated when driving past project sites. Both of these experiences have contributed to my wanting to go into the construction field.

WHAT IS THE COOLEST THING YOU HAVE LEARNED SO FAR THIS SUMMER?
The project I am on this summer is a Mills Fleet Farm store with a gas station and car wash. The coolest thing that I have learned so far has been watching how the underground fuel tanks get installed. The entire process is quite elaborate, from digging the massive hole to fit six tanks, to backfilling the entire hole with pea gravel on a conveyor truck, to hooking up the lines to all the gas pumps. It’s very interesting!

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
My favorite part of the internship so far is having the ability to walk around the project site and look at all the different parts of the building that are being constructed. Also, being able to listen-in on how the superintendent and project manager run the project site and work with all of the subcontractors and activities that are happening on site.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR INTERNSHIP?
The hardest part of my internship has been getting familiar with all of the construction terms and sequence of events. This is my first internship, so I don’t have much experience with how a project site functions, or what the standards are in the industry. However, my superintendent has a lot of experience in the construction industry and has been able to give me a better understanding by answering all of my questions.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR INTERNSHIP IS BETTER PREPARING YOU FOR THE FUTURE? IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS?
One hundred percent, yes. An internship is an incredible experience, and a great way to learn about construction before you graduate from college. The ability to have an internship before you graduate makes entering your first job a lot easier because you already have experience in the field, and know how construction sites operate. Additionally, all the knowledge that you learn during the summer can be taken back to school and applied to what you are learning in your lectures and labs.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER STUDENTS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR INTERNSHIP?
If you have the opportunity to partake in an internship, do it! You can learn so much and gain experience that will only benefit you in the future. Everyone knows that you are learning and will take the time to answer questions and ensure that you understand.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE?
I am grateful and excited to be working with Miron this summer and can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds.

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

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