Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Structural Engineers
Adena, a senior project manager at John A Martin & Associates, recommends that undergraduate students interested in structural engineering seek construction internships "in the first year or second year," building foundational knowledge before pursuing structural engineering internships in their third year or later once they have completed design courses. The firm prioritizes interns from UCLA, but Adena emphasizes that experience in the broader construction industry is highly valuable.
Internships, Entry-Level Positions, Structural Engineering, Construction Industry, Career Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Adena Geiger
Sr project manager
John A Martin & Associates
UCLA 2013
UC Berkeley masters of science
Engineering - Civil
Architecture, Construction & Design
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Immigrant, Transfer Student, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Many structural engineering consulting firms offer internships to undergraduate students, typically starting from their third year after they have completed design courses.
2. Students can gain valuable experience in the construction industry through internships even during their freshman or sophomore years, which can be beneficial for future structural engineering roles.
3. Internships in construction can provide a strong foundation and understanding of the industry before transitioning into a more specialized structural engineering internship during the later years of undergraduate study.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
As a structural engineering consulting firm, we usually take many interns from UCLA. We prefer interns from third year onward, ensuring they have completed their design courses.
Design courses typically begin in the third year at many schools. We want to ensure students have taken these courses and can grasp our day-to-day work.
In the construction industry, students can intern at any time, even as freshmen. I highly recommend this.
Some individuals have had successful construction internships in their first or second year before transitioning to structural engineering. This builds a strong background within the same industry, allowing you to learn by observing and being on-site daily. Therefore, I encourage students to pursue construction internships before seeking structural engineering internships, which usually occur in the third year.