Elizabeth Ryan interned for Adolfson and Peterson Construction, marketing upcoming projects in AZ.
How did you get your internship?
How I got my internship was a little different than a traditional application. I was a study abroad student in a different country for the first time in my life, and felt a little behind in the game of applying for internships. I was away from everyone and everything I knew, so getting started was hard for me, especially because I was already getting a late start to applying. I applied for over 20 positions over the US and didn't get an offer from any. At that point, I reached out to my parents for help. My mom reached out to her boss to ask about potential internship opportunities and they contacted me and asked for an interview. We clicked during the interview call and he informed me they needed marketing help and would love to have my new perspective.
What is unique about your situation that influenced your internship selection?
What was unique about my situation was this was not a company or experience I would have imagined that I would be interning at. I had no prior experience in construction, so this isn’t an experience I would have found on my own. Since I was in the position of starting my search later than I expected, I needed to have an open mind to the connections that would come from reaching out to my network for help. When my mom's company offered me a position, I took it. The construction industry was not something I would have told you I was interested in, but I knew the professional experience and environment would definitely help me in my future. The work environment at AP was inviting, welcoming, and people were eager to learn and teach. From the experience I learned this is the type of environment I want to be a part of.
How did enrollment in the Internship course (PAH 493) impact your experience?
The coursework throughout this class helped me understand the insight that I learned through this internship. The activity journal, where we kept track of what we did, accomplished, learned, or were challenged by each week, are what really helped me. Being able to look back on the weeks I was working to see what I was doing and see what I learned throughout the whole experience was really beneficial. It also gave me a good understanding of the new transferable skills that I learned and that I can take into my new position after graduation.
What new knowledge and skills did you learn during this internship?
I gained a lot of administrative and technical skills during this internship. One of the things that I did the most was scanning documents onto a USB and emailing them to corporate, which is something that I have never done before. Another huge skill that I learned and used almost every day was Microsoft Outlook and Excel. I learned how to utilize formulas in Excel and learned how to effectively use organizational tools and shortcuts in Microsoft Outlook to my benefit. I also learned the process of archiving old projects, and documenting what information is kept and what can be disposed of.
What advice do you have for other students as they search for and begin their internship?
The advice I’d give to students starting or looking for an internship is to be open-minded and ready to adjust as you go. No internship turns out exactly how it’s described, and there will be both ups and downs. Make the most of every situation by learning from the people around you. Ask questions, pay attention to how they handle things, and take in as much as you can because those experiences will stick with you.