Kiewit Internships: “Built Different”

This summer, nearly 1,000 interns joined Kiewit teams across North America, stepping into offices and jobsites where the work is complex, the pace is fast and the expectations are high.

They worked alongside experienced teams, asked questions, worked with new tools, applied lessons learned and contributed to work already in motion. Here’s what they said made their Kiewit internships feel “built different.”

The Lessons

Interns worked beside employees who took time to explain the work, set expectations and share the principles that guide their decisions. The advice they received — and the lessons they would pass along to future interns — centered on curiosity, preparation, communication and a willingness to embrace new challenges.

“During our morning planning meetings, we went over ‘The best preparation for tomorrow is doing today ‘s work superbly well,’ and that is something that will stick with me for the rest of my career.”

Jose Rivas Vazquez, Field/Office Engineer Inter, Malvern, Arkansas

“My boss always tells me to ‘see the big picture.’ It can be difficult when I am working on a small part of a large project, but it is important to know the scope of the work being done. It makes me ask questions about the project as a whole when I am handed a new task to understand what I am working on much better.”

Gabriel James, Field Engineer Intern, Los Gatos, California

“One of Kiewit’s phrases that really stuck with me is ‘be a sponge.’ I value it because it reminds me that there is always something to learn from everyone around me, and it encourages both me and others to stay open to growth.”

Bobbie Lowe-Hunt, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Omaha, Nebraska

“‘‘Your voice matters.’ My team reinforces this idea every day by showing me that the work I do is important and that my input has value. If I see something that does not make sense, I am encouraged to speak up. There have been a few occasions where I caught small issues that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. I have also learned that if I am unsure about something, I should not hesitate to ask questions. Everyone on my team is willing to take time out of their day to teach me. I am here to grow and gain experience, and my team has been incredibly supportive in helping me learn as much as possible during my time here this summer.”

Jaxson Holman, Overhead Transmission Line Engineer Intern, Lenexa, Kansas

“Say yes to as many opportunities as possible. By being open to opportunities, you can open up doors for not only career growth but also personal growth — especially at Kiewit where there are so many career paths and the flexibility for you to experience things that interest you.”

Kathleen Awason, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Westlake, Texas

“Immerse yourself in the work as much as possible. Sticking close to the crews and seeking out your own opportunities to absorb information is a great way to learn more about the field and become a better engineer. You’ll learn how to complete tasks more efficiently and safely, as well as learn how the craft communicates. Then, when you put together work plans, you can draft them in a way the crew understands best and that is better suited for the field.”

Emma Radons, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Ellicott City, Maryland

“Be willing to take on whatever challenges are thrown at you. I have been given the opportunity to fill in for field engineers, and both times I had to transition from learning the role to actively performing it. This gave me an inside look at the responsibilities of a full-time field engineer and the workload that comes with it. My willingness to work with multiple engineers has also opened opportunities that I did not expect going into my internship. Working with our survey engineer gave me the chance to fly drones and ultimately allowed me to get my drone pilot’s license. On top of that, I’ve been handed office engineer tasks, so being= moved around has allowed me to see more scopes of work than I expected going into the internship.”

Daniel Hidalgo, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Brawley, California

The Opportunities

This summer, interns contributed to active projects, took ownership of meaningful assignments and stepped into experiences that challenged them to grow. From supporting major lifts and developing work plans to helping prepare bids, leading presentations and working alongside craft professionals, their proudest moments reflected the trust placed in them.

“This summer, I got to climb our tower crane, which is a little less than 300 feet tall. When I reached the top I walked the back end of the crane and even got to climb even higher to the tower’s peak.”

Madysen Nguyen, Engineer Intern, Vicksburg, Mississippi

“The proudest moments of my internship were the relationships that I built with my crew. This summer, I was able to build meaningful relationships where we respect each other and I enjoy talking to them. As a field engineer, having a mutually respectful relationship with the craft is essential to success in the industry and just makes the job fun.”

Chunhui Billings, Field Engineer Intern, San Diego. California

“One of my proudest moments this summer was supporting the lift and mobilization of the 330,000-pound BG- 45 drill rig. Being involved in the planning, coordination and execution of a lift of this magnitude provided invaluable field experience and a firsthand look at the teamwork, safety and precision required to deliver major construction milestones. This experience challenged me to grow both technically and professionally, making it one of the most memorable moments of my internship.”

Ivan Pun, Engineering Intern, Squamish, British Columbia

“Our project team volunteered with a local animal shelter to work on its building. We replaced an old deck structure, built new ramps for their dogs and installed a gutter over their deck. We got to spend a lot of time with the shelter volunteers, give the dogs all the attention they wanted and make the local community happy, all at the same time. I was very proud to wear Kiewit yellow throughout the entire process.”

Trevor Jordan, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“My proudest moment from my internship was overseeing an important generator swap. Working with our trade partners, we were able to swap our generators for different, higher-kW generators. By the end of Sunday, we had everything hooked back up and restored power to the office trailers so staff could continue work on Monday.”

Dylan Fritz, Field Engineer Intern, Abilene, Texas

“My proudest moment was being a big part of helping estimate and bid two large projects with my coworkers. Seeing two projects from the start to the end of our bid process and being a major part of both felt amazing. Being trusted with large and important parts of the bidding process and seeing them through made me immensely proud. Working with the other interns in the office and my mentors gave me a great experience this summer.”

Colin Kelliher, Field/Office Engineer Intern, Cranford, New Jersey

“One of my favorite moments this summer was being part of my first night pour. That placement represented several hours of planning, coordination and hard work to ensure our team met the schedule. The staff and craft professionals I’ve worked with are what make this experience so rewarding, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from them.”

Nate Bottarel, Field Engineer Intern, Cayuga, Indiana

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