Arcadis

Project Designer

January 2016 - August 2018 • Westerville, OH

What I liked

I truly loved this internship, which is why I continued with it for almost 2 years. The people here at this company are very welcoming and want to see you succeed. They gave me tasks that were challenging, but appropriate for my given skill level. The best part about this internship is that I was able to gain valuable knowledge in many aspects of the engineering field, including but not limited to: creating cost estimates, designing water/wastewater systems and treatment plants, report writing, permitting, funding, taking part in site visits, and being able to complete projects from start to finish. This internship is very much involved, but this aspect is why it was so enjoyable.

What I wish was different

Advice

I highly recommend looking for internships that are very much involved, like IBI Group. Even though the job is challenging, what you take away is so much more valuable than doing an internship that is just walking through the motions. (Been there done that). To determine if a job is involved or not, as questions during the interview! Do not be afraid to ask questions about the job itself and the tasks you will be doing.

1 One person found this helpful

Technical Intern

May - August 2024 • Sewickley, PA

What I liked

I liked how I had a wide variety of work on a variety of projects. I got some experience in project management, project development, cost estimation, and design work. Also, my team was very helpful in answering any questions I had. I did not have any water and wastewater experience prior, and they were very understanding and taught me about the field.

What I wish was different

One thing I wish was different is that I wish I had a bit more work to do. At some points, I had a lot of availability and little work assigned, even after reaching out to everyone on my team. But I understand that is was hard to find work for me at times since they just recently hired an entry-level full time employee. Another thing is that I wish I had gotten to go into the field more, but I still learned a lot in the office too.

Advice

One piece of advice I would share about this experience is to never be afraid to ask questions. On my first day, a member of my team told me "there are no stupid questions." Sometimes, you may feel like you are being annoying or bombarding your team members with questions. But, they understand that you are still a student and your goal is to learn about the field and the job. It is better to ask questions and complete a task correctly than guess and complete it incorrectly.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Water Resources Intern

May - August 2023 • Richmond, VA

What I liked

The people that I worked with were very understanding of my experience level and gave me many opportunities to learn more about my discipline of interest. I had many opportunities to ask questions and I always felt welcomed to do so.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more opportunities to network with other interns within my region earlier on.

Advice

Come prepared to learn

1 One person found this helpful

Environmental Engineering Intern

May 2019 • Phoenix, AZ

What I liked

The company focuses on making their employees happy and encourages interns to share their knowledge and be a part of projects.

What I wish was different

A little bit more structured through the program, however it was very nice to have the convenience of flexible hours.

Advice

Ask a lot of questions and get involved in many projects.

13 ${count} people found this helpful

Environmental Engineering Intern

May - August 2019 • Manchester, CT

What I liked

I liked working with different people on different projects. I liked being around others in general.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more consistency in what I did. At times I felt like I either had too much work or too little.

Advice

Definitely learn how to communicate with people. It is very helpful in the job market.

2 ${count} people found this helpful

Technical Engineering Intern

March 2017 - August 2019 • Akron, OH

What I liked

Field work

What I wish was different

More engaging work

Advice

Don’t be afraid to move companies

3 ${count} people found this helpful

Transportation design intern

May - August 2018 • Columbus, OH

What I liked

My coworkers are great and help me to learn new design skills daily. I became proficient in roundabout design and was able to observe a new type of roundabout called turboroundabouts that will soon be introduced to the United States. I was able to meet coworkers in Arcadis from the Netherlands who have designed and implemented many turboroundabouts overseas.

What I wish was different

It’s a bit too sedentary and I would like to get away from my computer sometimes.

Advice

Be prepared for a lot of desk work but know that you need to do the grunt work early in your career to advance later on.

2 ${count} people found this helpful

Technical Intern

April - August 2018 • Portland, OR

What I liked

Varied tasks, professional skill development, Microsoft Office skills development, good office atmosphere, friendly colleagues , fun events

What I wish was different

More mentoring and feedback. More involvement in projects.

Advice

Talk more directly to colleagues about task requirements, be more assertive about getting feedback and mentoring. Express what tasks were enjoyable and what were not.

11 ${count} people found this helpful