My career aspiration was to be a mechanical engineer. Mechanical engineers solve problems by designing, building, and testing machines and mechanical devices. For my time in being part of AnnieRuth’s internship experience, I interned at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). In addition, I spent one week at the SAME (Society of American Military Engineers) STEM camp on the Jacksonville Naval Air Station Military Base. At JTA I was glad to learn about how all the departments merged their different skills to create successful modes of transportation for the people of Jacksonville. At the SAME STEM camp, I learned a lot about teamwork, planning, and leadership while also having the time of my life.
When I was at the SAME STEM camp, my teammates and I were tasked with building a doghouse that would be donated to an animal shelter. The doghouse had to be within certain dimensions, and it had to be built in a specific amount of time. We were given some planks of wood and some tools. Before we even utilized the resources given to us, we selected a project manager and assigned tasks to different people. This is where I learned to step up but there were also times when I needed to step down. We also had to formulate a plan for the construction of the doghouse. It needed to stay upright, it needed to hold the weight of a dog, and we needed to use our resources wisely to ensure that we wouldn’t run out. There were a lot of calculations that needed to be done beforehand. I learned that planning is one of the most important things an engineer can do. If there is no plan, there is nothing to keep the team focused on the vision. A vision that is not written down is an idea. Once we finished planning, we went forward with the construction. The construction process was challenging due to the fluctuating weather conditions. One minute would be one hundred degrees, and the next minute the rain would pour. At this point, I learned to be a better teammate. I had to encourage them and keep doing my part for us to complete the task. In the end, we completed the construction of the doghouse, but we ran out of time and couldn’t finish painting it.
If someone asked me if the AnnieRuth Foundation’s internship experience had an important role in preparing me for my future, the answer would be most definitely. While being an intern, I exercised everything I learned in the program. While I was a program participant I learned about the interview process. At JTA, I had the privilege of sitting in interviews and understanding the process through the interviewers’ eyes. They reiterated the importance of having multiple resumes, being prepared, and being early. During the internship experience I learned the importance of connections. Sometimes it’s not only what you know but who you know also. I also applied time management and dressed professionally. Every week I had to set an alarm to get up so I could be at work on time. I also created a business wardrobe and had my clothes ready before the week started. The AnnieRuth program and AnnieRuth’s internship experience have developed me as a person and prepared me for the workforce. If I could, I would do the whole thing again.