From day 1, I worked on active projects. In fact, one of the projects I worked on has just started construction in California. I worked on one team, which created a sense of belonging, focus, and purpose, and I had one direct mentor who communicated with me daily and was always open to questions. For an engineering company in Minnesota, CEG is surprisingly diverse (ethnically and geographically, mostly, but they also seem LGBTQ-friendly). I was not just limited to one project, but I had a say in which projects I was interested in, and I worked on multiple projects throughout my time there. The company also encourages interaction between interns. They gave us a $ 1,000 budget to do fun things as interns, and they organized some events for us. There is also a pool table and a table tennis table.
What I wish was different
I would have loved to do a few site visits to see some of the projects we're working on and to see some of the equipment. And I would have liked to get out of the office and do some fieldwork. But most of the sites are in California and Texas, and CEG is a consulting company so there is little to no field work to be done.
Advice
You have to take learning into your own hands. Some days//weeks can feel slow, others can feel overwhelming. But by keeping track of everything you've done and all that you learnt, you can look back with a sense of achievement.
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Software Development Intern
May 2020 - August 2021 • Lakeville, MN
What I liked
I was constantly exposed to and involved in the general workflow of the company and my work helped the full time employees on a daily basis, even now after my time with them has ended.
What I wish was different
The company was small, and I started working just after the lockdowns and restrictions were starting, so I didn't get to interact with many of the employees in the company, face-to-face especially, but even virtually. Most of the employees worked remotely and the ones who were in person tended to keep to themselves. I also kept to myself a lot of the time, but I wish I had been more outgoing to build more relationships at work. Maybe if the circumstances surrounding the pandemic and restrictions were different, I would have had a more office-like experience, but I can't avoid some of the blame based on how I responded.
Advice
Be willing to apply yourself at work. Sign up for tasks and ask other employees about what they do. This gets you a better grasp of what the company does and builds your network. Also, people generally like to talk about themselves, so this can also make for a better work environment.
