Austin Gay, an analyst within Kiewit’s operations finance group, knew early in the interview process with Kiewit that, upon joining the company, he would be placed in a work environment where he would be able to grow as a professional and excel quickly in his career. He noted that during the recruiting process, employees at Kiewit were genuine and upfront about the experience he would receive at the company. Compared to other options available to him, Kiewit offered Gay a unique opportunity in an environment where he got to take on substantial amounts of responsibility.
Gay says he enjoys how he was integrated as a full member of the team from day one. “At Kiewit, you develop skills and are given responsibilities that you likely wouldn’t develop or receive in other companies until several years into your career,” said Gay.
During his first year at Kiewit, Gay has had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects. One highlight has been traveling to Kiewit headquarters in Omaha where he presented to executive leadership, including the CFO and Executive Director of Kiewit Business Services.
“It’s great getting exposure to upper management and executives so early on in my career,” said Gay. “I have seen firsthand the amount of responsibility that is trusted upon my colleagues and myself, even with just a few years of experience at Kiewit.”
Upon his return from Omaha, Gay and the rest of his analyst class were tasked with training the incoming intern class. This consisted of a week full of presentations and walkthroughs during which the analysts also balanced their usual day-to-day tasks. Developing talent is an important aspect of the culture here at Kiewit, and Gay has gotten to experience first-hand how rewarding this can be.
Throughout the summer, Gay, and the rest of his colleagues, mentored and managed interns. Gay played a key role in helping the interns develop lasting skills to be successful in their careers. Due to the rotational nature of the internship program, he acted as a mentor by advising the interns as they navigated the different sectors of the business group.
“Pleased, but not satisfied” describes a Kiewit-wide goal of always striving for the best. It is ingrained in the culture at Kiewit and is a mindset that Gay can compare to the way he and the business group approach their work. Gay thrives when given new challenges that help him grow his skill set and advance his career and he said the same goes for his colleagues.
“They do a great job of giving you a mix of responsibilities you are comfortable doing, and responsibilities that will challenge you,” said Gay. “This creates an environment where you can truly work towards developing new skills that will benefit you in your career.”
Hard work is recognized and rewarded at Kiewit. Employees who give their all will find that their careers continue to develop for years to come. “You can make as much out of your career as you want here at Kiewit,” said Gay.
