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The Emery Sapp & Sons intern experience
At Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), we don’t do internships just for fun. Yes, we know how to have a good time, but the intern experience isn’t another box to check. When we say hands-on experience, we mean it. Dirt on your boots and a safety vest zipped up type of experience.
Beyond a summer job
This year, 44 interns started their journey at ESS. Students from colleges and trade schools jumped into the construction industry headfirst. From laboring on a jobsite to working through a proposal draft, our interns are a real part of the team.
“I’m excited to see all the different angles of the construction industry,” said Bella Abel, a heavy highway intern attending the University of Missouri in the fall.
That’s the point. The ESS internship is about discovering what a career in construction can hold and exploring many aspects of the industry.
Built in support
Every ESS intern gets paired with a mentor. More than a supervisor, a mentor shows them the ropes and supports their intern from start to finish. Mentors provide real-time education that you can’t find in a textbook.
“The most exciting thing about my internship is learning from all the other foremen,” said Brian Ortega, a field intern attending Johnson County Community College.
For some, that mentoring lasts beyond an internship. “Chip Jones, Alex Rohde, and Ken Warbritton were incredibly supportive,” said Alli-Nicole Miller, a former intern who is now a full-time job-cost analyst. “They encouraged me and invested in my growth as a young professional, and they have continued to do so even after my internship ended.”
From intern to employee-owner
Many full-time employee-owners once started out as interns. They came in ready to learn, worked hard, asked questions, and found a career at ESS.
“Having not worked in the construction industry prior to my internship, I learned so much about the industry and what we do,” said Kaitlyn Hartnagel, a former intern who is now a full-time estimator. “I gained hands-on experience with the tools we use every day. It also helped me confirm that this was the career path I wanted to pursue.”
An internship is a sneak peek into what the future can hold. Real tasks, real stakes, and a real experience. The internship is designed to build the future of our industry with guidance from current employee-owners who have been where you are.
For more information on the ESS internship program, visit https://emerysapp.com/career/intern/