I liked that there was a variety of work that I got to do over the summer. I was in the maintenance unit so I got to do bridge, culvert, and ancillary structure inspections daily. I learned a lot and enjoyed being outside almost every day.
What I wish was different
I wish there was more work. There were times throughout the summer when the work we needed to complete was finished and there wasn’t much to do.
Advice
A piece of advice would be to make the most out of the experience. Ask questions, work hard, and try to learn as much as you can. It will be much more enjoyable and rewarding if you do these things. Also, you never know what other opportunities may come from this experience.
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Civil Engineering Intern
June - August 2021 • Eau Claire, WI
What I liked
I liked the scheduling and independent-style work
What I wish was different
I wish I had been able to try a wider variety of jobs
Advice
I would recommend talking to your supervisors and coworkers to increase the odds of getting a job out of school.
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Student Intern Trainee
May - August 2020 • Eau Claire, WI
What I liked
The chance to do field work and the supportive environment
What I wish was different
Wish I had known more about construction process so that I can understand what was going on
Advice
Appreciate every single thing you observe and always ask questiond
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Culvert inspector
May - August 2020 • Lacrosse, WI
What I liked
The traveling across Wisconsin
What I wish was different
No covid
Advice
Be ready for anything
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intern
May - August 2020 • La Crosse, WI
What I liked
Everyone there was so friendly and helpful. Everyone loves to answer questions and will explain what they are doing because they know the interns are there to learn and experience.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have spent more time in the office and working with people.
Advice
Ask as many questions as possible. Always be wondering and try to figure how things are done.
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Civil Engineering Intern
May 2020 • Madison, WI
What I liked
Great opportunity to get hands-on experience with the structural side of civil engineering and bridge design specifically. Great atmosphere to work in, and wonderful flexibility with working hours. Staff also took time out of their days to prepare presentations on the different jobs present within the Bureau of Structures.
What I wish was different
I wish I had been able to work in the actual office space rather than being limited to working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Advice
Don't be afraid to talk to the full-time engineers about more than just job-related things. A lot of the engineers working with WisDOT have a fair bit of experience and can provide some decent mentoring points as to pursuing an engineering career that's transportation/structural in nature.
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LTE for WISDOT Southeast Freeway Design Section
May - September 2020 • Waukesha, WI
What I liked
Having the opportunity to do design work on real life projects.
What I wish was different
Working in-person instead of teleworking.
Advice
Always ask questions if you don't understand something. You won't learn anything unless you ask!
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Civil Engineering Intern
June - August 2020 • La Crosse, WI
What I liked
Learned about civil engineering, gained work experience
What I wish was different
More work with other people, less work outdoors
Advice
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Work Zone Engineer Intern
May 2020 • Madison, WI
What I liked
The hours are flexible, so I was able to start as early as I desired in the day and work into the afternoon. As such, I would work 10 hour days Mon-Thrus and have Fridays off every week. I also enjoyed being out in the field for a majority of my work and being able to see the state.
What I wish was different
I wish there would have been a little more opportunity to learn about the DOT and other positions that I could potentially transfer to.
Advice
Ask questions about anything you are unsure about before you head out for the day because once you are on the road, it can be difficult to get ahold of people once daily meetings begin.
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Civil Engineering Intern
May 2020 • Madison, WI
What I liked
They are great about flexibility and working with you to gain experience in many different area and roles. The employees are all super friendly and helpful. They want to see you succeed.
What I wish was different
It is hard with covid, so it would have been nice to be in the office. But the company made the most of it with weekly check-in meetings and excellent communication.
Advice
Do not be afraid to ask about things you are interested in learning more about.
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Student Intern Trainee
May - August 2019 • Wisconsin Rapids, WI
What I liked
I enjoyed how interesting the job was, every day was very different from the last, I spent 80% of my time out in the field on inspections or overseeing maintenance. I learned a lot about infrastructure, structures, drainage, transportation, construction, and maintenance.
What I wish was different
Less mosquitos some days, otherwise nothing. It was a great summer!
Advice
If you like being outside, traveling around parts of the state, and want to learn about what opportunities are available for civil engineers this would be a great experience. (Also the pay scale increased)
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Civil Engineering Intern
May - September 2019 • Madison, WI
What I liked
The culture of the WisDOT was very inclusive and I liked the workplace environment. Everyone was helpful and I think that it's a great place for engineering students to get hands on internship experience.
What I wish was different
There were times where I wish I had more to do. I'd have slow days here and there but overall I enjoyed the work I did.
Advice
I think everyone should try and get an internship experience from multiple places throughout college. My experience with the DOT was good and it got me thinking more about what I want to do specifically when I graduate.
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Work Zone Intern
May - August 2019 • Madison, WI
What I liked
The supportive academic office atmosphere was amazing for personal growth. Encouraged questions!
What I wish was different
Nothing.
Advice
Worth working for the DOT at least once as a civil engineering major! Very educational!
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Limited term
May - August 2019 • Green Bay, WI
What I liked
The work environment was very friendly and everyone there was willing to teach you and answer your questions.
What I wish was different
Advice
Any experience in your field of interest is good experience. I wasn’t very sure what I wanted to emphasize in for my major, so this experience helped open my eyes to the opportunities out there.
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Civil Engineering Intern
May 2019 • Waukesha, WI
What I liked
Relaxed environment, great coworkers, lots of opportunities to learn about transportation engineering.
What I wish was different
Spend a bit more time doing design work.
Advice
Definitely get to know the engineers well. Almost every civil engineering firm works with the DOT, so even if you don’t work for them it’s still good to know engineers at the DOT.
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Construction Inspector
May 2019 • La Crosse, WI
What I liked
WisDOT does an excellent job giving their their interns hands-on experience. I was doing the job rather than following someone else around watching, which happens all too often with engineering interns!
What I wish was different
Advice
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Labor Compliance Specialist Intern
May 2019 • Waukesha, WI
What I liked
The people there are amazing. They made the transition into the job effortless and assisted me in getting comfortable with the job. Collaboration is key for this position and being able to communicate well with others makes the job much easier.
What I wish was different
Maybe some windows in the office. Otherwise the work, the people, and the environment was great.
Advice
Go in with an open mind. It may not seem interesting at first, but it is very important work that you will like once you understand the scope of it. It is great to work with companies and see how some businesses operate.
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Chemical Testing Section Intern
June - August 2019 • Madison, WI
What I liked
I enjoyed learning more about breath alcohol and how it is used to charge for OWIs. I also enjoyed the workplace environment and community.
What I wish was different
I wish I was able to view more court cases.
Advice
Keep your options open and make as many professional connections as possible.
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Maintenance Intern
May 2019 • Waukesha, WI
What I liked
Out of the office everyday, paid for my lunch everyday, always had things to work on
