Kokosing

Field Engineer Co-Op

January - August 2024 • Cleveland, OH

What I liked

I was tasked with surveying at the construction sites, writing reports about the geotechnical instrumentation data I gathered at the sites, and managing spreadsheets to keep track of costs and equipment. I liked being able to spend part of my day outside with the crews while surveying. My supervisor attempted to expose me to all of the responsibilities given to field engineers during my work term. This will help me determine if I want to become a field engineer in the future. Additionally, the co-op program allows you to connect with other interns and learn about the other projects taking place within the company.

What I wish was different

Like my previous internship, I occasionally ran out of work to do. When I asked for additional work, my supervisor was sometimes able to find tasks for me to do. Other times, I would observe the crews working on site. Furthermore, I wish that I was given a larger variety of tasks to complete because my weekly tasks became somewhat repetitive. However, I understand that this lull in activity was caused by the current state of the project and may have been unavoidable.

Advice

I think that it is beneficial for co-op students to ask questions during their work term. Because this was my first co-op related to the construction industry, I needed to ask questions to fully understand what was happening on site and why. My co-workers were happy to answer the questions that I had and wanted me to learn while I was working. Asking questions will allow you to learn more about the company and help you decide if you want to apply for a full-time position. Finally, I believe that it is also important for co-op students to effective communicate with their supervisors and co-workers in a timely manner.

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Safety Specialist Intern

May 2022 • Columbus, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed the fact I could be out on the job site every day with the crews. Each day had a different schedule and you could make it up as you went. Completing different tasks each day made the job fun and creating relationships with the team members made it easier to problem solve if there was a concern. I also enjoyed that I could see the daily processes that went into construction and all the time and effort it takes to get a project rolling.

What I wish was different

The only thing I wish was different was my housing. I stayed with another student doing her internship in the same area and we had trouble finding a place to stay. Our first apartment fell through and to be able to move to Columbus in time, we had to get a five-month lease instead of just a three-month one with another apartment complex. I wish there was an easier way to find housing with internship/co-op opportunities.

Advice

One piece of advice is you have to be able to communicate with the people you are working with. As I mentioned before, establishing relationships is the key to getting honest feedback and ideas from team members with any concerns or hazards. If they know you are serious about wanting to keep them safe, then they will show respect for your ideas and ways to work through the situations.

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Estimating Co-op

May - August 2022 • Westerville, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed having the chance to be a part of the estimating part of the construction process. This allowed me to learn by analyzing cost history and applying that history to new project estimates. Another great thing about doing a co-op with Kokosing is that they really value their co-ops and employees. They have multiple opportunities throughout the work term for co-ops to meet each other and to work on projects together.

What I wish was different

As someone who enjoys being outside, I wish there were more opportunities for site visits. My role as an estimating co-op meant that I was in the office nearly every day, the only exceptions being the occasional site visit or co-op event. Also, it would be very helpful if Kokosing assisted more in the search for temporary housing. They do provide a per diem, but a co-op is on their own for finding temporary housing if they need it. For me this was very difficult being in a hot real estate market like Columbus.

Advice

There is no such thing as too many questions, and there is no such thing as a dumb question. The construction terminology is the most difficult thing to pick up whether working in the field or in estimating so it is essential to constantly ask questions about resources or construction processes that you are not familiar with. This is a learning experience above all else. Also, seek out various people in the workplace to ask questions to. Different employees have different areas of expertise, and it's also nice to get to know more people than just your immediate supervisor.

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Field Engineer Co-Op

May 2021 • Huntington, WV

What I liked

Everything about this Co-Op experience was great. I was paired with excellent engineers and employees who generally cared about my growth. I was challenged with varied tasks day in and day out and was never expected to know everything. I learned so much and I look forward to continuing to work with Kokosing Construction in the future.

What I wish was different

I do not wish anything would have been different. This experience filled my expectations to extreme.

Advice

One piece of advice I would give is to stay involved and ask questions. The engineers stay busy and will sometimes forget to include you in simple tasks. Do not ever be afraid to ask questions and stay open minded!

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Construction Laborer

May - August 2019 • Cincinnati, OH

What I liked

I learned so many various tasks as I was assigned to various crews. I also was able to make some good connections in the industry and learn a lot about the way a large project functions.

What I wish was different

I had to wake up extremely early some mornings but other than that I have no complaints.

Advice

Construction is about working hard, earning respect and getting opportunities is all about how much effort you are willing to put forth even on tasks that may be below you.

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Field Engineer

May - August 2019 • Warsaw, IN

What I liked

Kokosing values their employees to ensure a comfortable work place. The employees are very helpful and take time to teach their interns.

What I wish was different

The location was not my desired location as it was 3 hours from my house. Little help was provided finding an apartment near the job site.

Advice

As a civil engineer, it was very beneficial to learn about the construction of the design before going into design. Doing the construction will make you aware of problems that might occur when designing.

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Civil Engineering Intern

April 2019 • Columbus, OH

What I liked

I got to learn about the whole process of the construction side. I started as estimating then went to construction management and learned about onsite engineers.