Gaining Experience Requires Complete Immersion by Oksana

Gaining Experience Requires Complete Immersion by Oksana - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

As a student in a Civil Engineering Technology program, I was offered an eight-month long internship that exposed me to the diverse responsibilities of a career in construction management. The project I worked on featured a bridge replacement using horizontal sliding accelerated bridge construction techniques, an innovative approach that provided me with the opportunity to work alongside seasoned professionals who taught me skills necessary to succeed in the construction industry. Unsurprisingly, as I have had no previous field experience, I have received a lot of feedback and have been given plenty of opportunities to learn. Specifically, during my mid internship review, I was told that while I had done exceptional work in the office, completing paperwork and engineering workplans, I needed to spend more time out in the field immersing myself in the experience. I took the advice to heart and began to spend most of my time out in the field. In turn, I gained more understanding of the actual construction process, formed strong relationships with the foremen and crews, and gained practical skills through laboring in the field alongside them. I have learned that to effectively learn from new experiences, I need to immerse myself in all aspects of the opportunity. Without seeing both sides of being a field engineer, I would not be as strong as a young professional as I am today.