Every year, hundreds of interns join the Kiewit organization, working alongside Kiewit employees on projects and in offices to help deliver energy and infrastructure projects to communities across North America. A few of this year’s interns reflect on how their Kiewit “intern eras” are preparing them for their careers.
Assignment: Human Resources Intern | Location: Omaha, NE
Mae Killeen
I have had the opportunity to develop myself and my professional skills by working with the Talent Development team at Kiewit University (KU). On this team, I have been able to really dive deep into the many different management and technical schools that KU offers.
I have been given real work, projects of importance and have had every resource I could need to excel in my role. Not only has my internship experience at Kiewit pushed me to better myself and begin to build my legacy, but it has ultimately prepared me with the tools I need to confidently enter my career era.
Assignment: Field/Office Engineer Intern | Location: I-10 Capital Corridor, Baton Rouge, LA
Brendon Bolanos De Moraes
At UT-Arlington, I serve as the president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), where I lead 150 members towards better opportunities, such as attending the SHPE National Convention. It was through this convention that I secured my first internship with Kiewit.
Although I spend most of my time in the office, whenever possible, I would ask one of the discipline managers to take me to the field so I can observe their work and assist when needed. One aspect of Kiewit that I particularly appreciate is its commitment to a safety culture. Everyone is encouraged to help each other grow to minimize incidents, aligning perfectly with their Nobody Gets Hurt commitment.
Assignment: Finance Analyst Intern | Location: Lili'uokalani Community Center, Honolulu, HI
Ainsley Bennington
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned so far is to prioritize accuracy. This project is fast-paced with a ton of moving parts, which could make it easy to gloss over seemingly tiny details regarding quantity claiming or forecasting plans for materials and labor. However, reporting precise costs for everything is the only way a project can thrive. Emphasizing accuracy over convenience is something I plan to implement in any professional realm my future holds.
I feel honored to be a part of such an impactful project that will change the lives of many children in Hawaii.
Assignment: Field Engineer Intern | Location: Cass County Solar Project, Beardstown, IL
Jake Galligan
I am exposed to all disciplines, how each one choreographs their crews, and what work they are responsible for. It is a spectacle to observe how each discipline handles different tasks, adapts to situations, and brings a positive attitude to reflect onto their crews.
I have learned many valuable lessons that will surely carry to my future career. I appreciate the level of communicative understanding, ensuring all on-site are on the same page, the continuous practice of safety emphasized with every meeting, and strategic planning to ensure everyone is performing efficiently on a daily basis.
Assignment: Field/Office Engineer Intern | Location: Coastal 29 Bundle 2A Project, Forks, WA
Kendall Marquez
This is my first Internship with Kiewit and I have learned more in the last couple of weeks here than I have at any other internship and even in any class. Nothing can teach you more than being out in the field getting your hands dirty, working with the people who know this industry and career the best.
Kiewit has given me a great opportunity to leave my home state and not only learn the office side of things, but to be able to go out into the field and see the project, see the people at work and watch the drawings and plans come to life.
How it started, how it’s going
Many of Kiewit’s full-time employees — including executive leaders past and present — started their careers with the company as interns. Here, some of them reflect on where they started and how it helped them prepare for the roles they’re in today.
First Internship: 2018 | Role Today: Construction Coordinator
Louis Deschenes
My first internship was on the Turcot Interchange project in Montréal, Québec. I remember arriving to a whirlwind of activity, with over 1,000 craft workers focused on a challenging megaproject. The Kiewit staff employees were welcoming and excited to integrate me into their world. They quickly began to teach me about the project, the company and the way we do business. I grew to appreciate the intensity with which we went about our work, and how we were, in the words of Peter Kiewit, ‘Pleased, but not satisfied’ with our performance. As a first introduction to Kiewit, this internship opened my eyes to the opportunities the company provides, and how large a role someone as young as an intern can play on a Kiewit project.
My internships prepared me to join the company full-time following my graduation by involving me deeply within the company culture and allowing me to develop a love for construction and the process of building work. I was lucky enough to have mentors that provided me with the opportunities to take on more responsibilities and prove that I could push myself to produce results to help the team.
First Internship: 2024 | Role Today: Estimate Sponsor
Ben Prueter
One of the things that will always stick with me (from my internship) was the first impression of the job site. It was clean, organized, and I could tell everyone on the project took extreme ownership of the way their place of work looked. I’ll also always remember the people. They took time to teach me, provide feedback and really treated me as a full-time team member during the summer while I worked on site.
My internship helped jump-start my career by giving me a feel for not only how Kiewit executes operations in the field, but the extent of detail that goes into estimating and planning work. More importantly, it helped me ensure that the culture of the company was the right fit prior to stepping in the door for the first time as a full-time employee. I still keep in touch with those who I made a relationship with during my internship almost 10 years ago now.
