SPARK

Discoveries, innovations, and insights that illuminate the future of the built environment

What the McKinstry B.L.U.E program taught me: Zach Gerhardt

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How would you describe what you’re doing at McKinstry in 50 words or less?

My role at McKinstry as a Project Engineer Intern is to learn as much as I can, as quickly as I can, in order to help the field team, perform their work on time and under budget.

What has McKinstry been successful in with tackling the challenge of COVID-19 from a company and an intern perspective (i.e. measures taken company wide and measures taken within the B.L.U.E. program)

McKinstry has been successful in tackling the challenge of COVID-19 from a company perspective in the way they have provided the option for employees to work from home for as long as necessary until they feel it is safe to return. For people in New Construction, keeping the number of people in the office down to a small amount to allow for proper social distancing has been a change I have witnessed firsthand. We work in the office on a rotation. I was given the opportunity to work Monday through Wednesday in the field office and the rest of the week at home for the duration of the summer. Being able to split up my area of work was something new to me but has readied me for a new normal with the possibilities of working from home becoming more widespread. I believe in the way McKinstry has afforded its employees the option to work from home until they feel safe in an office. It speaks loudly about how much they care for the wellbeing of their employees.

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Zach Gerhardt: Getting to know me & my journey to McKinstry’s B.L.U.E. Program

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Hello! My name is Zach Gerhardt and I’m a New Construction Project Engineer Intern with McKinstry for the summer of 2020. Over the last few weeks, I have begun to get a feel for McKinstry’s culture. In a time as uncertain as we are living in right now, strong leadership is as important as ever. By listening to company executives, getting to know my project team, and virtually socializing with other interns, I have been able to experience this leadership firsthand. In a time like this, being able to count on your friends, family, and coworkers to be there for you is paramount.

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Aidan Korper: Getting to know me & my journey to McKinstry’s B.L.U.E. Program

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My name is Aidan Korper and I’m working as a project engineering intern on McKinstry’s Fire Protection team at the Portland, Ore. office. I’m a rising junior at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, studying construction management.

Aidan Korper.

When I started my search for a summer internship, I focused my search in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve always heard such great things about the area, from its vast forests to explore and opportunities for fun on two wheels to its unique culture and down-to-earth people (I’ve confirmed these things are true!). I figured if I could make it work logistically, I would drive out to the west coast for a summer of learning and exploring!

Through some research and connections I made through school and travels during spring semester, I had narrowed my search to a few companies I felt were on the forefront of the construction industry. It seemed like a long shot but with some hard work, good timing, and a whole lotta’ luck, I was able to secure an internship position with one of the top companies on my list—McKinstry! With McKinstry’s passion for sustainable building/design and drive to think beyond the traditional construction process, I knew there was truly no better program and group of people I could learn from.

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