Internship Spotlight: Siefert Associates

Senior, Cassandra Mastroianni completed an internship with Siefert Associates as a Construction Engineering Intern in Watertown, CT. Read on to learn about her experience!

If you’re interested in doing your own internship but don’t know where to start, make an appointment with your Career Advisor by going to Handshake.

What was your internship?
I worked as a construction engineering intern at Siefert Associates in Watertown, CT.

Why were you initially interested in this internship?
I was interested in this internship because it was the perfect position to combine my knowledge
from a previous internship as a construction management intern and my education from my
engineering degree. The qualities of the company is also a big reason why I chose the company
I did. They are a smaller firm where they pride themselves on having a strong, tight knit
community of employees and their work environment is team-based and open.

How did you find your internship?
I found this internship online on Indeed and then I proceeded to apply directly through the
company’s website.

What did you do as part of your internship?
I was able to work on multiple projects throughout my summer there. I mostly created plans for
cranes doing erection or demolition work on bridges. These plans were done on AutoCAD,
which is a drafting software. Along with the plans a series of calculations were done to check
the crane’s lifting capacity to be sure that it would be able to handle the piece it would be picking
up. I would then put all the drawings and calculations together in one package to get reviewed,
stamped, and sent out to the client.

Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how?
Yes! My internship has helped me work towards my future career goals by gaining experience in
the industry and building connections with those I worked with. I learned how to read and
decipher original plans and determine a plan of action to complete the task at hand. I also
gained a lot of practice in using my engineering judgment and skills to solve diverse problems.
Overall, it’s helping me become a more well-rounded engineer.

What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship?
My biggest takeaway from this internship was the importance of having your work reviewed and
getting feedback. No matter how many times you do something, there is always one thing you
might forget and that’s okay. That’s why it’s important to have your work reviewed by a second
set of eyes. This summer I made a goal to receive less and less mark-ups each time my work
was reviewed. That way myself and my supervisor could track my progress.

What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity?
My first piece of advice would be to make an appointment at the CCPD with your advisor, it
really helped me get my resume in good shape along with organizing a cover letter to include
when applying. My second piece of advice would be to apply to everything in the industry that
you think you would like. You never know who will reach back out and what opportunities could
present themselves. Any experience you gain just adds to your skill set and makes you even
more valuable

By Kevin Deeb
Kevin Deeb Career Advisor