Valley Water

Operations Research Intern

June - August 2023 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I absolutely loved the people in my unit. I also had the opportunity to meet the other interns in different sectors of the organization and make deep connections with them. Also, I absolutely loved that the organization and my supervisor wanted to make a work-plan that would benefit me. in other words, they wanted to see what I wanted to work on and improve that would help me in my plans. Having that flexibility and control was admirable and wonderful

What I wish was different

I went to study abroad for 2 weeks within the time I was supposed to intern so I wish the study was after my internship so I could have made even more memories with the people there.

Advice

Be open-minded to a new working environment. Usually, I'm more of a hands-on person and one to be the first to take initiative. However, this opportunity showed patience, to better understand the way things are ran, and a new perspective of what it's like to work in the office and hybrid. I had heard bad experiences but having the opportunity to organize my schedule, meet with co-workers during my break, work from home, and discuss ideas and research, was an enlightening experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Civil Engineering Intern

May - August 2022 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I enjoy the work environment and the projects at hand

What I wish was different

More complex work

Advice

Network with other units as much as you can.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Workforce Development Intern

April - June 2019 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I really enjoyed working with a group of people that were oriented to helping others succeed at their job. Everyone came together to facilitate trainings and programs to better help every single employee at Valley Water.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be the first to mark this as helpful

intern

June 2017 - August 2018 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

that I had a lot of freedom after i proved my responsibility. I took on many tasks.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more projects

Advice

Get to know the people in the office they are willing to help you.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Continual Improvement Intern

June - September 2018 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I loved the friendly vibe of the organization, and I was blessed with super relatable, easygoing mentors. My department was slow at times but I still learned A LOT about how government agencies run. It also felt fulfilling to be a part of creating safe, clean water for my county. Also, the location of our office was in a prime spot and I'm glad I didn't need to commute long everyday.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more work to do! I completed my major projects quicker than anticipated and our department, again, had our slow days. I wish I interacted with more young people too, because I mostly worked with older people. I also learned the negatives of working within government agencies, such as slow responses to change and financial matters.

Advice

One advice is just to pursue the job you want and keep up with the people you get to meet. This was my number one priority internship during my job hunt and I got it! I feel like a big reason why is because of my persistence to get to know the organization, the hiring process, and when I got in, I was so happy. Also, a workplace is a treasure mine of knowledge and mentors. I liked talking to my coworkers to find what they can teach me.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

Graphic Design Intern

May - August 2018 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I liked the enviornment and the people there.

What I wish was different

I did my best during the internship, but I wish i could build more relationships.

Advice

Work hard and be thankful to your coworkers.

Be the first to mark this as helpful

vegetation management intern

June - August 2016 • Santa Cruz, CA

What I liked

I was quickly added onto a team that pushed me to work hard and use all my skills from classes. It was very fast paced, and they pushed me throughout my entire internship.