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End of their internship, beginning of their future.
Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) welcomed its largest intern class to date, doubling the number of interns from 2023.
Recruitment and retention remain top-of-mind within the construction workforce. As an industry that is constantly evolving, companies must find ways to bring new talent in to grow and mentor a future workforce. The ESS internship program does just that by molding interns based on real-world experiences and intentional mentorships.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE INTERNSHIP
In May, ESS welcomed 36 interns to its workforce for the summer. Defying the stereotype of unpaid coffee runners, these paid student workers gained hands-on experience in roles including estimating, project management, quality control, corporate resources and more.
“Our internship program is not your average desk job,” said Sara Snodderley, director of human resource operations. “We believe in empowering the workforce by offering real-world opportunities and mentorship that helps bridge the gap between what they study and professional experience.”
“In psychology, I learn how people think and process information,” said human resources intern Hannah Dominique, a psychology major at the University of Missouri. “I used that background to connect with new employee-owners to provide a positive onboarding experience.”
LEARNING FROM THE PROS
Each intern is paired with an ESS mentor who guides them through various projects, ensuring they gain valuable insights and practical skills.
Springfield-based estimating intern Gavin Lux described how his mentor acclimated him to the professional world:
“My mentor, Cory Moffatt, taught me what estimating truly was,” said Lux. “Under Cory, I’m responsible for estimating my own projects and am able to explore project management as well.” Lux is pursuing a construction management degree from Missouri State University.
Interns are immersed in many aspects of heavy civil construction, frequently using equipment on active jobsites. Abe Creasy, a Columbia-based stringless paving intern, was excited to get hands-on experience in the field with ESS stringless equipment. “The advanced equipment we’re working with is state of the art, which you don’t get to use in the classroom,’ said Creasy, who is pursuing a civil engineering degree from the University of Missouri.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
ESS’ expanded internship program is mutually beneficial for students and the company. Building on the success of past and present graduates and interns, ESS views this program as a key component to its future growth. Interns are empowered to build a foundation for their careers while ESS creates a pipeline of potential employee-owners.
After the program, interns gave final presentations to ESS leaders, mentors and other interns. They shared their assignments, lessons learned and how their internship provided learning beyond the classroom. After the presentations, those in attendance celebrated the conclusion of the program with pickleball, cornhole, a golf simulator, basketball and more!
Looking toward the future, estimating intern Brady Murr expressed how the internship has supported his career:
“What I learned through the opportunities I had has been impactful. Not a lot of people can say they’ve chased a billion dollars of work at my age.” Murr is pursuing a civil engineering degree from the University of Missouri.
For more information on the ESS summer internship program, visit emerysapp.com/careers/career-paths/intern/.
