My Summer Internship at 3J - Alexis Pearson

Alexis spent the summer with 3J's engineering team, spending time with each squadron and getting to work on a variety of projects. At the end of her internship, we asked her some questions about her experience as a 3J intern. Here's what she had to say:

MEET CIVIL ENGINEERING INTERN Alexis Pearson!

 

Education: Alexis is a Civil Engineering major a Oregon State University

Hobbies: In her spare time, Alexis enjoys being outdoors with friends, playing games like spike ball, spending time in the water, and hanging out with her cats (spoiling them rotten!).

In hindsight, what advice would you give to yourself before starting your internship? Not to worry. I would tell myself to not stress about the things you don’t know. The people at 3J are insanely helpful and genuinely care, so they are going to help and teach you through it all!

What was the highlight of your internship experience?

Seeing something that I worked on go into a finished plan set. It was cool to see finished plans with sheets I made on them and knowing that eventually those plans are going to be used and actually built in real life was awesome! On top of that, it had to be meeting everyone and getting to know them. They are all such great people; I’ll never forget my time/experience here!

Did you have a favorite project or task?

It’s hard to pick one singular task or project. But there were a few where I was either creating detail sheets for a project or doing some informational exhibits for another. I liked those a lot because I was able to dive deep into plans and how they are put together, breaking down a completed design into the different details and seeing how complex each thing can get, I loved it!

What new skills or knowledge did you gain during your internship that haven’t been taught in school?

I got much more proficient in CAD which is a skill I want to continue to grow. I also learned a lot more about civil engineering and what goes into a single project. There was so much more to things that seem simple, but then we would take a deep dive and find out the true scope of what is really being done to complete a project. I don’t think there was a single day I didn’t learn something!

What would you tell future 3J interns about interning at 3J?

You’ll learn more than you ever thought you could learn. They have really put time and effort into their internship program and the training guide. You’ll not only learn so much about the industry but also how to use the tools to do this job. The time they invest in you during your internship really shows how much they care. You’ll truly never want to leave!

3J’s internship program also includes exposure to our Community Planning and Marketing departments. In addition, an industry partner, Compass Land Surveyors let Alexis shadow them in the field for a day.

Were there any memorable projects or experiences that stand out from your time working with planning, marketing, or survey?

Planning was much different than I expected, especially long-term planning. Learning about the in-house program for Urban Growth Boundaries was fascinating.

Marketing was also interesting. There was so much research that goes into what they do. It was cool to see how marketing in the civil world differs from traditional marketing and what they do for the company!

I spent a day with a surveying team, and it was cool! Until that point, I had only seen the finished project of what they produce. Being able to see what goes into that finished product and the process behind it was insightful and gave me a great perspective on an area that civil engineers work with so often.

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