Undergrads Turned Young Professionals
Landing an internship with CMSWillowbrook is a stepping stone to success. Our construction management company cultivates a vibrant, hands-on learning environment, making it easy for future professionals to learn industry fundamentals. Our interns spend their days doing hard work on site and learning soft skills.
This summer, CMSWillowbrook employed nine interns who were integrated into the project process from start to finish. They attended meetings and engaged in training courses – one intern even drove a water truck!
Before they returned to their campuses, we asked them to share the highlights and most memorable moments of their internships. Here’s what they had to say:
What was the most interesting thing you learned from your internship?
“How to interact and communicate with sub-contractors. Sometimes it can be difficult to get things done the way you want it, or there can be a miscommunication. From being in the sub-meetings and doing in-field work, I learned how to communicate effectively and respectfully.” – Olivia Bunch, Oklahoma State University
“The most interesting thing I learned about was the pre-construction estimating that goes into a project. We had an estimating training course, and it was eye opening to see all the work that takes place before construction begins.” – John Madison, Oklahoma State University
“The process of putting up ACM panels. The process is very tedious and specific. It wasn’t what I was expecting based on the appearance of the finished product.” – Jared Kerr, University of Oklahoma
Todd Enlow reviewing site plans.
What was the best part of your internship?
“Getting to learn some of the ins and outs on the construction site and seeing the project from a management standpoint. It was also neat seeing how CMSWillowbrook treats people as team members instead of a replaceable number.” – Alex Vaverka, Oklahoma State University
“The satisfaction of seeing a remodel go from being torn apart to a transformed, nice building. Beyond that, I would have to say it would be the opportunity to pick the project manager’s and superintendent’s brains to better understand project processes.” – Jared Kerr, University of Oklahoma
John Madison working on site.
What was a unique fact you learned about the construction industry during your internship?
“How to put in a window system. We had a mock-up done of the brick and window system, and we had many issues with the way things were done. It was really neat to learn how to address these issues and see how the process is supposed to be done.” – Olivia Bunch, Oklahoma State University
“Considering the massive amount of rain we had this spring, I learned how much weather can change the schedule of a project.” – John Madison, Oklahoma State University
“Electricians make up roughly 42% of the construction-worker population.” – Jared Kerr, University of Oklahoma
“How much dirt work costs for a project.” – Jace Edwards, Oklahoma State University
Jared Kerr taking a break from installing windows.
CMSWillowbrook doesn’t wait to hire just seasoned pros – we begin building young professionals’ careers even before they start full-time jobs. Learn more about how you can get your start with CMSWillowbrook today.
