Blog Entries

Every summer, Miron welcomes a number of interns to work in all areas of our company. Every intern has a unique story, so we have invited ten interns to share their journeys on our blog over the next several weeks. The two individuals featured this week on our blog are second year interns, with double the experience, and double the stories. We’ve already heard from Amber Ronsman and Charlie Hill along with Cole Schilling and George Sterner, read on to hear about Nick Kippenhan and Collin Zuehlke’s second summer here at Miron!

Nick Kippenhan – Project Management Intern

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Nick Kippenhan. I attend Michigan Technological University and will be a junior this year studying Civil Engineering. As a kid growing up, I wanted to work in construction and was fascinated by the large machinery. At home, we have a white golden doodle named Wilson who loves to run around outside and get full of mud.

Why did you return to intern for Miron for another summer?

I returned to Miron this summer because I had enjoyed my experience last year so much. Having a company that cares about you not only in the workplace, but also outside of work is very important. The relationships that I created last summer were both unique and special and definitely drove me to return to Miron this summer.

What is something you wish you would have known the first day of this internship?

Something I wish I had known prior to starting my internship is the vast exposure to the different areas of the company that I would receive. Being a project management intern, one would expect to be in an office, on the phone with subcontractors, and attending meetings most of the day. That is far from the experience that I have received. I spend most of my time on the job site, working with my superintendent and walking the site to understand how construction tasks are completed, in addition to updating the construction and three-week schedule and contacting subcontractors to coordinate scheduling and arrival of materials. I have also spent time in the estimating department to see how the front end of a project is handled. Lastly, I got the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a part of the Miron family and volunteer with other employees to help the community.

What aspect of your internship do you love the most?

The aspect that I love the most is the team that I have been placed with. I was fortunate enough to participate in a team outing early in my internship. Being able to do this allowed me to meet my team members outside of the work environment. Within the work environment, I have been able to create relationships with my superintendents that are on site with me, and we are often able to talk about what is going on outside of work in our personal lives, creating a better working relationship.

Have there been any eye opening or mind-blowing aspects of your experience so far? What has surprised you the most about this internship?

I think the most mind-blowing aspect of this internship I have experienced so far is the willingness of the tradespeople to help.  When I don’t  understand what a person is doing, they are always willing to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it the way that they are. This is not just the Miron tradespeople─ numerous other subcontractors are willing to do this as well. They enjoy being able to explain what they are doing to others and knowing that the work they are doing is appreciated.

What advice do you have for next year’s interns?

I would tell next year’s interns to not be afraid to step outside of their comfort zone. Even though there may be numerous activities you have not experienced before on a job site, don’t be afraid to learn. Something that is particularly difficult for me is public speaking and meeting new people. As a general contractor, Miron has many interactions with Owners and subcontractors and it is necessary to be willing to communicate with them.

How has your time here at Miron helped to prepare you for your future career?

My time at Miron has helped prepare me for the future in two major ways. The first being the experience factor. Many students do not have the opportunity to gain real-world experience from an internship and have to rely on what they learned in the classroom. Having had an internship in addition to what I’ve learned in the classroom, I feel I am better prepared for what comes after school. I will have a leg up on people with knowing what is going on and what is expected of a project manager. The second way my internship has better prepared me is by reassuring me that I am going into the right field. Often times people experience career changes in life. While having a degree is not always necessary to change careers, knowing my degree is what I want to go into is very reassuring for myself.

Collin Zuehlke – Project Management Intern

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Collin Zuehlke. I was born and raised in Waupun, Wisconsin. I am going to be a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and will be graduating a semester early (December, 2019). Construction has always had my heart in some shape, way, or form. In the early stages of high school, I really wasn’t sure what area of construction I wanted to specialize in. I job shadowed different roles around the industry with different companies and I realized that project management was the path that I wanted to take. I told myself that before I was able to manage people, I needed to see how they put work into place and how they were able to communicate effectively in order to complete given tasks. I signed up to become a Union Laborer; I did this for two summers and it was the best building block for my career I could have asked for. I do not have any pets…well two younger brothers if that counts!

Why did you return to intern for Miron for another summer?

Miron was no doubt a company that I wanted to work for after college. Last summer, they set the bar high and helped me realize what to expect out of a company. The people here at Miron are what make this company so much more than just going to work. All employees demonstrate the key drivers here at Miron (Relationships, Dreams, Innovation, Solutions, Sustainability and Communities)!

What is something you wish you would have known the first day of this internship?

What goals should I create for myself and how I can measure those goals. It’s important to set goals for yourself not just as an intern but throughout life. There are several reasons why setting goals is important. The first thing that goals do for you is give you a sense of direction. They eliminate the question of “What should I do now.” Creating goals early on in your internship helps you when you feel you have “nothing” to do; you can make sure that you have checked off your goals for the day. Lastly, I used goals to help measure my performance and what I was getting out of the internship. This was an effective way for me to understand and evaluate my daily progress.

What aspect of your internship do you love the most?

I love constantly learning! Within my internship, I have had the ability to learn much more about myself, the industry, and others. This has truly built the foundation for me as I soon begin my career in the construction industry. I ran eight different training sessions this summer on our scheduling software to all Project Managers. This was eye opening as the groups were mixed with all different knowledge levels on the software. My ultimate goal for each of them was to keep them all on the same track and reach the same end goal, which was a success.

Have there been any eye opening or mind-blowing aspects of your experience so far? What has surprised you the most about this internship?

I had the ability to write our scheduling software training manual. This was something that wasn’t in place before I got here, so I started from ground zero. As I learned the software, I was able to analyze it and effectively write a manual so that no matter your knowledge level with this software, you were able to get to the same spot. Another neat thing that I had the opportunity to do while working on this manual was meet and learn from others in different areas throughout Miron. I worked alongside Molly Murnane; Molly is the Learning and Development Manager at Miron and was a tremendous help throughout this process. I also had the ability to work with our marketing team creating the training manual.

What advice would you have for next year’s interns?

Don’t stop learning; learning is a constant development and you can never know too much! Whether you are on site or in the office, make sure you know that there’s so much free knowledge that you can learn from. That one question you may ask may lead to a life-long relationship. As an intern, go into the job thinking you know absolutely nothing; I mean this because one of my mentors the first year looked at me and said you know nothing and now is your time to learn. He followed up with me at the end of last summer and asked how much I learned. The list went on and on and he looked at me and said, “That’s why I told you that you know nothing, so that you could tell me what you learned and got out of your internship.”

How has your time here at Miron helped to prepare you for your future career?

Miron has given me the tools and resources to help me become the most successful and effective manager possible. Gaining knowledge of construction schedules and understanding the software at an advanced level is experience that I will be forever thankful for. This, with the many other things that Miron has allowed me to cultivate, will make me a much more effective project manager.

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