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Jessika Smith ’10 (Cheswick, Pa.) is one of 10 students who participated in a multi-day externship with John H. Pierce ’81, vice president and regional manager of Latin America and the Caribbean at Turner Construction in New York City. Smith, an engineering studies major, is also a member of the College’s softball team.Participating in Career Services’ externship program allowed me to make invaluable networking connections that I’m positive will aid in exploring internship opportunities as well as my job search upon graduation. For my externship, I interacted with John Pierce as well as project executives at Turner Construction in New York City.
Mr. Pierce provided details of the inner workings of Turner while allowing us to contribute to client discussions. We addressed various day-to-day tasks handled by Mr. Pierce and his counterparts, as well as the method of obtaining a construction project proposal, submitting plans for completion and an estimated bid for total cost required for the project, and finally executing the operation. He also provided valuable resume and career-building strategies through group discussions and individual meetings.
I took the opportunity to attend an ACE board meeting with Mr. Pierce. Not only were there deliberations regarding the status of applicants, mentors, and official board members, but the schedule, budget, and potential advertising methods were evaluated and discussed. It was on these last few topics that the board truly appreciated my contributions.
On the last day of my visit at Turner, Terry Carbaugh ’82, project executive for the New York business unit, took us out to various active construction sites. I was able to experience all that goes into the intricate daily operations on a construction site. While visiting the World Trade Center Memorial Site and the site of the new building on the campus of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, I viewed construction in action. Mr. Carbaugh and various colleagues showcased the sites and introduced us to various people who explained their role in the completion of the buildings.
Participating in the externship program has aided me in discovering what I’m looking for in a career. I have become more aware of the skills that I need to hone before entering the workforce and those which I can rely on during interviews and personal interaction. The externship program allowed me to experience what a career in The Big Apple could offer.