I had the experience of working on and with machines which I wasn't very familiar with on a daily basis, such as Pennsylvania's 2nd largest universal testing machine. Experience with more machines is great, but these machines tested rebar, steel mesh, polypropylene geotextiles, and plastic culvert pipes to failure. The materials science and testing aspect of this internship was a very useful bonus to the machine experience.
What I wish was different
I wish I was able to spend a day in each section of the laboratory. I tested a variety of steel, concrete, plastic, and geotextiles' physical yield and breaking strength daily, however, I did not get to test asphalt or aggregate chemically. The physical lab is certainly where I wanted to work, but it would've been informational to spend a day in the other lab sections.
Advice
The Commonwealth, and Department of Transportation specifically, is known to be a hyper-political environment where anyone can get anywhere as long as they have congressional recommendation. I'm happy to say that it is very possible to land positions based only on personal merit without any intervention from any other state or political figure.
If you want the experience offered by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania employment, you have a real chance of landing it without any external political assistance.
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ESTI
May - August 2021 • Lehighton, PA
What I liked
Relaxed environment
Experienced seniors willing to answer questions
What I wish was different
Position should of had more responsibilities
Advice
Always ask questions to gain the most from the experience
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Government Service Intern
June - August 2021 • Bloomfield, PA
What I liked
I loved working on Pennsylvania's roads first hand, filling pot holes, clearing drains, putting up temporary road signs, riding in dump trucks, jumping out of dump trucks to save turtles, and what most of my time was spent doing: flagging. Many days were grueling labor in very hot, dangerous conditions, but at the end of the day it always felt good knowing that you've helped a huge number of fellow Pennsylvanians.
What I wish was different
I wish I was able to do a few more things. My stockpile (a specific area that acts as a hub for about 10 workers as well as a material and vehicle storage facility) was one of 7 in Perry County, PA. They had rules forbidding interns from driving the pick-up trucks, but interns were allowed to do labor outside of flagging.
Just across the river in Dauphin County, one of my friends in the same position with the same lack of certification beyond a regular drivers license actually drove so much they got tired of it. Contrarily, they were not allowed to do the same manual labor I was doing.
Advice
I absolutely do not say this with intent to exclude anyone. I believe we're all equal and all capable of the work available here. With that important preface covered, I strongly recommend that women and non-white peers avoid working with road crews.
Perhaps other crews behave differently, however I can say with the complete confidence of hearing remarkably cruel, racist, sexist remarks multiple times everyday at any remotely possible opportunity. For perspective, I heard several different coworkers say the n-word multiple times every day. If I didn't look the way I do, I truly believe I would've had a bad time.
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Engineering Scientific and Technical Intern
May - August 2021 • Indiana, PA
What I liked
The amount of walking and being outside was a great way to forget about the pandemic.
What I wish was different
My last supervisor was not as good as the rest had been.
Advice
Make sure that you speak up for yourself but be courteous about it. If someone does not know or understand something they need to know for their daily job function, make sure that they learn.
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Commonwealth public service intern
May 2019 • Warren, PA
What I liked
I liked the people, engineering experience, learning processes, applicable problem solving, getting paid.
What I wish was different
The hiring process is slow, work is sometimes inefficient.
Advice
I would recommend this to any engineering student (or any major) to work for the department of transportation as an intern because it can lead to good job opportunities, especially in rural PA.
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Climate & Transportation Intern
May - August 2019 • Harrisburg, PA
What I liked
I liked working with the Policy Office. I had the opportunity to work on a lot of different issues! I spent time working on my own, as well as lots of time in meetings. Everyday was different. But at the same time I had a focus over the course of my time there and I appreciated that as well.
What I wish was different
Nothing! I valued the experience and was able to learn a lot from everyone I interacted with.
Advice
Be willing to ask for more work, or ask to dive in more to any subjects that interest you.
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Flagger
June - August 2019 • Lewistown, PA
What I liked
Hours, connections
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
Stay hydrated
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PennDOT laborer
June - August 2019 • Washington, PA
What I liked
The hours were good and I got to work with very interesting people.
What I wish was different
I wish I was able to labor instead of being a flagged.
Advice
It is a good summer job. It’s not very difficult. You get weekends off and are done by thee on weekdays.
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PennDOT GSI
May - August 2019 • Shippenville, PA
What I liked
The hours, the pay, the flexibility
What I wish was different
not really anything
Advice
try it out!
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Engineering intern
May - August 2019 • Allentown, PA
What I liked
The independence
What I wish was different
More engineering based workload
Advice
Get along with your coworkers
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Engineering intern
May - August 2019 • Allentown, PA
What I liked
The experience, doing work in the actual field
What I wish was different
Not as much driving
Advice
Be prepared to get along with someone for the rest of the summer. Great job, great experience, great pay.
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ESTI Intern
May - August 2019 • Erie, PA
What I liked
I liked the hands-on experience I received and the day-by-day tasks I was given that enhanced my knowledge and understanding of bridge construction.
What I wish was different
I would have like to started my internship earlier so I could have seen the total reconstruction of the bridge as opposed to the small window of construction I saw.
Advice
I would recommend to always be attentive as there are plenty of moving parts during the work day and I encourage other students to work at sites so they receive a more hands-on experience.
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Flagger
May - August 2019 • Kittanning, PA
What I liked
I love the responsibility of having a full time job through the summer. Its a great way to make money and meet new people.
What I wish was different
Maybe the weather. Sometimes it gets really hot out there.
Advice
Make sure you are on time everyday as well as show up with a good attitude. If you have a negative attitude, it throws your whole day off.
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Engineering, Science and Technology Intern
May - August 2019 • Washington, PA
What I liked
I gained much experience discussing with engineers, lawyers, and contractors regarding various projects. The communication between involved parties fascinated me as each day brought new problems and new solutions.
What I wish was different
I wish my duties had been slightly more varied rather than the same general routines.
Advice
When it comes to dealing with state government, if you do the proper paperwork and submit it quickly, you shouldn't have any issues!
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Electrical Engineering Intern
May - August 2019 • King of Prussia, PA
What I liked
It was an awesome job
What I wish was different
Nothing that I think of
Advice
Diversity and team work
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Government services intern
May - August 2019 • Northampton, PA
What I liked
I enjoyed meeting new people and finding out how you fix roads and the logistics of fixing roads.
What I wish was different
I had to drive about 20 minutes to work everyday which isn’t far, but I wish it could have been closer.
Advice
Take advantage of internships from the state, they pay very well and everyone is always so nice.
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Flagger
May - August 2019 • Wyalusing, PA
What I liked
I enjoyed the people that I worked with. They were very kind and informational when I had questions about my job.
What I wish was different
I wish that this was not only a Summer Job but a job that I could get year round.
Advice
Go for what your gut tells you to.
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Goverment student internship
May - August 2019 • Mercer, PA
What I liked
I loved the people i worked with! They were so kind and always wanting to help.
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
Drink lots of water and dont be afraid to ask questions
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STAMPP Internship
May - August 2018 • Indiana, PA
What I liked
As a STAMPP intern I learned a lot about what goes on in PennDOT. It was very interesting in a lot of ways. We drove all over the county surveying shoulders, guide rails, and drainage ways. I can no longer drive down the road and look at certain objects without telling the person next to me what they are and how they work.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been assigned with the plans team instead of the surveying crew so I could go to job cites and talk with the head engineers on those projects.
Advice
To those who are looking into this internship they should know to get a good nights rest and pack a healthy lunch due to the amount of walking involved in summer heat. Also, pay attention in training, it will save a lot of hadaches later.
