Empowering the Next Generation of Civil Engineers: Summer 2024 Internship Highlights

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I am attending Saint Martin's University, and my current area of study is Civil Engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• My Favorite thing about the BCE Internship Program was how much assistance I received when completing tasks. I never felt lost while I was working because there was always someone willing to help me when I needed it. Everyone is eager to help you and makes sure that you understand what you are doing so you can complete tasks efficiently. I would also keep the rotations the same. They were a great way to understand the different levels of Civil Engineering. Working with a new group every two weeks helped me communicate and learn from others. 

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memory was spending time with the interns and our coworkers. Everyone at Barghausen was a pleasure to work with, and I enjoyed networking with them all. I was most excited about seeing the growth I would experience during the summer at Barghausen.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns should show up ready to learn, ask questions, and have fun. It may be hard at first to understand all of the initial information given to you, but once you get more comfortable, the progress you will make as an engineer will be noticeable. Take advantage of all the learning opportunities and make the most out of each day. There is always something new to learn at Barghausen.

What was your favorite site visit?

• My Favorite site visit was Peak 410. I enjoyed this one the most because it was very informative. One of the warehouses was just built, and you could see the grading process on the site. 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• After graduation, I plan on going straight into the Civil Engineering workforce. I could see myself joining Barghausen as a future employee in design engineering. I have enjoyed my time here way more than my time in school. I was having doubts about my major, and if I was going to like working in it, but this internship reassured me. I have enjoyed each day working for this company, and I feel that I have become a better engineer because of my time here. The people and culture are also great. I feel like I can talk to anyone and have a good time. This was an amazing internship experience overall, and I would be more than happy to find myself working at Barghausen as a full-time employee.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I attend Washington State University, Tri-Cities. I am studying for my B.S. in Civil Engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• The work I was exposed to during this internship seemed representative of the actual work performed by design/project engineers at the company. Being able to perform this work vs. other more basic tasks seen in other internships provided a helpful and accurate view of the work at BCE.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• Overall, my favorite memories are working with the project engineers here in the Richland office. They have been excellent mentors, helped me complete my tasks, and taught me industry fundamentals. Gaining greater proficiency with Civil 3D and site design were exciting aspects of the internship.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Several factors can greatly improve learning and efficiency here. As it is common to work on multiple projects simultaneously, being highly organized and keeping up-to-date notes is helpful. Clear communication with team members is essential to work efficiently. 

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic? 

• My favorite lunch & learn speaker was from Hos Bro's Contracting. I enjoyed learning about their overall objective and how we can proactively work together for a better product.

What was your favorite site visit?

• Visiting the Sikh Temple project in Richland was an interesting experience. The site offered small, unique challenges when designing code while matching the existing topography and utility placement. Working with the existing utility parameters and minimizing cost while meeting municipal/federal code to the maximum extent feasible was an engaging challenge. 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• After graduation, I will be actively pursuing a job after taking a small paternity leave to spend time with my daughter who is due to join my family in October. Working at Barghausen has been an excellent experience and I look forward to the opportunity to join the team after passing my F.E. exam.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I am studying civil engineering at Seattle University.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I experienced numerous valuable aspects throughout this internship. One aspect that shocked me, in terms of most useful aspects, was the 'Intern Game.' This game allowed me to step into anyone's office and have a conversation about casual interests or recreational activities. Getting to know people at work like this helped me grow my confidence and presence in this company. This game let me be myself at work and focus on putting my best effort forward. The lunch and learns, site visits, leisure company activities, Brian's CAD videos, the Marketing Team's documentation, and many other examples show how prepared Barghausen is to have interns. This is what I would keep the same about the BCE internship.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• To pick one favorite memory from this summer is difficult because Barghausen provided so many. I thoroughly enjoyed all the cornhole played, plus the tournaments won! Along with all the different site visits, this was a very enjoyable summer. The site visits excited me the most during the internship. Getting out of the office and seeing what you get to build in person is such a valuable experience.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their internship experience by fully trusting the process and leaning into the discomfort. BCE provides interns with a well-rounded experience and leaves interns with noticeable tangible skills. Lean into the discomfort. If you want to walk into that office, ask that question, or introduce yourself, go for it. Barghausen is here to support and help you grow. Don’t hesitate to take those steps; it’s part of the learning experience. 

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• My favorite lunch & learn session was Terra Associates. The father-daughter duo was charming, but more importantly, the presentation was fascinating. In a field where foundation design is crucial, it was extremely interesting to hear about their work on designing retaining walls, reaching impressive depths in urban areas, and tackling some of the most challenging projects they've encountered. I left this Lunch and Learn feeling thoroughly satisfied and intrigued.

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site visit was Baker View Logistics. We visited the site and the retaining wall failed. The impact of an error and the effort to fix it was powerful to see in person. At school, you read about failures of structures for ethics, but to be on site of one helps you process the reality. The size of these construction pieces and the signals of failure made this a memorable experience.

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• My plans after graduation are to find a job while I decide if I want to specialize in a specific field of civil engineering. Ideally, my goal is to find a job in Seattle and if not move back to California until I find a job! I see myself joining Barghausen as a future employee. I can see myself enjoying the work that design engineers do. I like how encompassing land development is and can see myself enjoying the profession. 

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I currently attend Seattle University where I study Civil Engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I enjoyed the frequent site visits every week. It was a great way to interact with the other interns and the managers on each team. Getting the chance to speak to the managers and the team members outside of the office created a conformable environment. I enjoyed Being able to rotate to each team and learn about their dynamics and how projects are approached. I got to see the range of projects in land development, and I found that the most valuable. As I approached this internship, I wanted to know and understand more about land development and the rotations helped with that. 
  

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memories were when we had employee events, meeting new people at BCE,  and interacting with the other interns. I got to open up to a lot of different people at these events which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the Half-Day Fridays over this summer. It can be difficult to find time to participate in activities when working full-time, so Half-Day Fridays allowed me to do that.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their experience by learning CAD beforehand or during their time in the internship program. It is also important to maintain your health and routine during the summer. 

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• My favorite Lunch & Learn topic was with Terra Associates. I found this Lunch & Learn a lot more enjoyable because I could understand them. I was intrigued since it applied to the civil engineering discipline. The lunch & learn was a nice refresher and a lesson on aspects of Geotech that I can apply to my learning.

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site visit was BNSF. The site itself was massive and we got to drive onto the site. When we walked through, it was very surreal. I think the amazing aspect of it was that we were able to go through the site versus just looking at it.

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• I plan on taking a few months off to travel and spend time with family before I join the workforce. I could see myself joining BCE as a future employee. I have enjoyed this summer, and I admire the atmosphere. The culture at BCE is young and lively and everyone here wants to grow. I found myself growing a lot and I do believe if I was to come back, I would grow even more. I appreciate the culture BCE brings to the interns and the employees.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I attend Seattle University, and I am studying civil engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• Rotating through different teams was always exciting and it was interesting to see how different departments operated and handled projects. I think it was important to see this aspect of the career.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memory was going to the NAIOP Golf tournament. It was a really fun day. I enjoyed having actual design work that contributed to something and having deadlines.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns should ask questions but understand when a manager wants them to try and figure something out on their own. The internship experience is about learning and understanding how to think like an engineer so play along with the exercises that managers set up for you.

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• I enjoyed the HOS Brothers lunch & learn. Those guys were really fun to listen to and seemed like they had a great relationship with Barghausen. They are the type of people we work with frequently, so it was interesting to hear more about what they do.

What was your favorite site visit?

• I think that my favorite site visit was Peak 410 because it was so large. Some of the lunch and learns were directly related to Peak 410, so it was exciting to connect those concepts. 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• I don't have a super-specific plan after graduation. I am weighing a few different options, but Barghausen seems like a place I could see myself working. I have gained a new perspective on land development and I appreciate how it keeps civil engineers on their toes and forces them to be a jack of all trades.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I am currently attending school at the University of Washington Seattle campus. My area of study is civil engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I think the program was structured in a very nice way. I liked having the opportunity to rotate throughout the different groups and see the differences and similarities between industrial, commercial, and residential. The most valuable aspect of the internship was being able to work on real projects. I was able to get hands-on experience in CAD, learn to read plans and documents and learn other concepts that I know will be beneficial for my future. I didn't have much busy work, and I was not sitting around with no work to do. I think having the opportunity to rotate kept us busy.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memory was on Tom's boat! I enjoyed all of Barghausen's activities and events. I've spoken with many of my classmates who are also doing internships, and I can see that the culture at Barghausen is very unique. Speaking with everyone at work and hearing their background/experience was the most exciting aspect of the internship. I loved getting to know all the engineers. It's very helpful talking to people who are in the profession and seeing the different paths they took to get where they are. 

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their internship experience by asking a lot of questions. The managers are here to help you learn. As long as you are open and willing to learn, you'll have a great experience.

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

•  My favorite lunch and learn was probably with HOS Bros because notoriously contractors do not like engineers so it's nice to see things from their perspective.

What was your favorite site visit?

• I think my favorite site visit was the residential one in Diamond Valley. Seeing such a large-scale project in person was interesting.

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• After I graduate in June, I plan on finding a full-time job in the civil engineering field. Before interning here, I was still debating between civil engineering and structural engineering. I knew that I enjoyed design, but I just needed to figure out what kind of design. After working here, I could see myself working as a design engineer. I enjoy the concept of land development. I liked seeing the willingness to help from the managers and other design engineers. Barghausen seems like a great place to start a career with a strong foundation. I like the day-to-day work that a design engineer does, and I could see myself having a similar schedule.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I attend Montana Technological University where I am studying Civil Engineering.

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I would keep everything you guys are doing with the intern program! The site visits and lunch and learns played a critical role in my understanding that there is a team behind every project. The lunch and learns helped me understand that the civil engineer doesn't do everything and that it takes the whole team being on the same page with open communication to make the project come to fruition. Also, just as important and valuable to my experience were the site visits. Sometimes when doing a task on CAD it is hard to make a real-life connection or understand why we do things the way we do as engineers. Going on site visits helped create that link from CAD to real-world application. This year, it seemed like we had more site visits than last summer which only created more opportunities for me and everyone else to make that link.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memory from this summer was the Barghausen vs. ESM cornhole tournament. This is one of my favorite memories from this summer because it was fun to be in a competitive environment but on the same team as my co-workers. Something that had me excited and looking forward to the internship was the vast diversity in gender and race among the interns. I enjoyed this group of people and appreciated how diverse this group was.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns need to understand that the only expectation is that you are trying and giving your best effort. No one expects you to know CAD. If you don't ask questions because you feel embarrassed, that will deter your learning experience. Don't get me wrong, it's okay to struggle and try to figure it out yourself, but if it's been some time and you can't figure it out then ask. When asking questions, you will get out what you put in. Don't let your ego get in the way of learning something new.

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

•  The lunch and learn that was most memorable for me was when the lawyer came and talked to us. It wasn't always the most exciting stuff to hear about but I thought it was interesting to ask questions regarding the legal side of engineering. 

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site was the failed retaining wall in Everett. Not often do you hear about mistakes in engineering, so to see one in real life was crazy and insightful.

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• My plan after graduation is to work as a design engineer in the Seattle area. Having an internship at Barghausen these past 2 summers has given me insight into the company and is something I am thankful for. I Can 100% see myself working here at Barghausen and going down the design engineer career path. I believe I would make a great fit here because my past two years interning here have given me the tools necessary to begin a successful career.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I attend the University of Washington where I am studying Civil Engineering. 

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I really enjoyed rotating between the different departments and experiencing the various management styles of each team. I also appreciated the site visits, as they were very helpful in seeing how the designs that we create in AutoCAD translate into real-life projects. The most valuable aspect of the internship for me was developing my skills in AutoCAD. Over the past ten weeks, I have learned so much about land development and gained a much better understanding of why things are designed the way they are.

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• This internship has been incredibly memorable for me! Besides the fun outside-of-work activities like cornhole, the boat party, and Mariners games, I’ve enjoyed seeing how much my skills have developed in such a short period. For example, during my first rotation, I spent several days drawing a single curb and sidewalk, but by my last rotation, I created an entire site plan using those same skills in less than a day which was exciting for me. What excited me the most about this internship was having the opportunity to perform tasks that contributed to the team. This level of involvement is rare in internships and has motivated me to do my best and complete my tasks.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their internship experience by being good communicators and understanding that everyone around them is there to help and wants them to succeed. Recognizing this has made my internship a very positive experience. Whenever I asked someone a question, I would apologize for disrupting them, only to be reassured that they were happy to help, which was encouraging. I would also advise interns to fully enjoy the experience and absorb as much information as possible because the internship goes by very quickly.

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• My favorite lunch and learn topic was geotechnical engineering. I did not fully realize the importance of keeping geotechnical engineers informed about site plans so they can ensure everything will work as intended and prevent potential issues. This point was strongly emphasized during the session, as presenters mentioned how they are sometimes "left in the dark" with the plans which can lead to large problems.

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site visit was the failing retaining wall because it showed how precise contractors have to be when building and the issues that can arise from not following plans and reading through the reports thoroughly, specifically the geotechnical reports. It also made me realize that even when we complete designs, our work isn't truly finished until construction is complete, and we need to be present to help solve any problems that arise.

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• My current plan after graduation is to become a Civil Design Engineer and work my way up to obtaining my PE license. I can see myself pursuing a career path here at Barghausen, as I appreciate the company culture and how welcoming everyone is. This supportive environment has helped make me feel comfortable asking questions and ultimately allowed me to gain skills more efficiently. Overall, I feel that Barghausen has also helped me become more confident in my abilities. This growth is largely due to the company’s supportive atmosphere and the time that everyone invests in helping me understand tasks to develop skills and become a better engineer.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I currently attend the University of Washington where I am studying Civil Engineering. My interests reside in water resources and coastal engineering. 

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I enjoyed going on site visits with different teams. This helped us see the diverse work that is done within the company. The 2 week rotations with optional flex weeks were great for our learning experience. I also enjoyed learning more about surveying. I found working in the office, seeing different managerial styles, being introduced to land development, and learning how it ties into all aspects of civil engineering valuable throughout the summer. 

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• My favorite memory with Barghausen this summer was developing genuine relationships and being able to better grasp the importance of communication between myself and others. I also enjoyed being in the office and seeing the different perspectives when completing one task. What kept me going every day was seeing what new task would fall into my lap. I think this experience has truly been a learning and growing opportunity. Among long days in an office cubical, there were always exciting aspects for me.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their internship experience by being self-aware and knowledge-driven. Interns should be curious to learn what land development is, but also be aware of their ability to receive feedback and to be tasked. There have been many times during my experience when I had downtime, and it takes the mentality of wanting to get the most out of this experience to make these moments worth it. I have used this time to watch CAD videos, ask other engineers about their experiences, and work on my resume. The idea of always looking to do more than sitting and waiting for the next task will ensure you get the most out of the experience. 

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• I enjoyed the West Consultants lunch & learn the most. Not only did I find their line of work interesting, but they had the best-formatted presentation in terms of mentorship. We were able to see 3 engineers with different levels of experience. Overall, it was a fun presentation due to the presenters. They brought enthusiasm and energy to their lunch & learn visit. 

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site visit was the residential one that Trent took Zach and I on. I learned the most from this small group experience. I was able to see how water flows through roads/drains, how to be a professional in the field, understand real-life aspects of design, and further develop my design skills. 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• After I graduate, I would love to stay local to Renton, build my design skills, and stay at one company while I work towards obtaining my PE license. I've been working in the shoes of a design engineer and can most definitely see myself working at Barghausen in the years to come. I believe this company can allow me to learn technically, and professionally. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Given the opportunity, I would love to come back to Barghausen after graduating.

Where are you attending school and what is your area of study? 

• I attended the University of Washington College of Engineering in Seattle, WA. I graduated with my Civil Engineering degree. 

What was the most valuable aspect of the internship for you? 

• I enjoyed the lunch and learns, site visits, rotating through different teams, and flex weeks. I truly found all of these enjoyable and valuable to the internship experience. The backpack and merch were also cool!

What was your favorite memory with Barghausen this summer?

• It was awesome to have the opportunity to work with some of the commercial teams, as Barghausen has some recognizable clients like Chick-fil-A, Brown Bear, Arco, and Costco. Having the opportunity to make an impact working alongside these teams and being a part of their process was a highlight of the internship. My favorite memory would have to be the final (In-house) cornhole tournament with the Taco Truck. It was always super cool to hang out and also get to see people you work with get competitive too.

How can future interns optimize their internship experience? 

• Future interns can optimize their internship experience by taking an AutoCAD course and/or Real Estate course prior. In general, be open to asking for help. Yes, being independent and forcing yourself to figure stuff out does show initiative, but you will only slow yourself down in the long run. Communicating with your managers & DEs is a great way to ensure that you are not completely lost and allows you to get advice on assignments if you're stuck. Be yourself and don't be afraid to talk to the rest of the people in the department, as they often have some of the best advice and guidance.

What was your favorite lunch & learn topic?

• My favorite lunch & learn was with the Design Engineers. I got the opportunity to discuss the path to where they are now and receive more detailed advice. 

What was your favorite site visit?

• My favorite site visit was the Peak 410 project, mainly due to its sheer magnitude and phase of construction. 

What are your plans after you graduate? 

• I can see myself working at Barghausen. I loved the company culture, and I was able to identify a path to progress my career as a civil engineer within the company (this had previously been an issue with my previous internship). I enjoyed what I did at work and being around great people made it that much better.