My name is Andres Alvarez and I am from Hamilton, Ontario. I attend McMaster University, where I am completing the Civil Engineering Program to earn my Bachelor of Engineering Degree.
This summer I am doing my first ever Civil related internship with Alberici, and I am enjoying every second of it! I am working as a Project Coordinator at the South Plant Upgrades project at the Humber Treatment Plant in Toronto, Ontario. As a Project Coordinator, I am responsible for completing Material Receiving Reports, concrete pour volume take-offs/checklists, working with as-built drawings, and keeping track of rebar drawing logs.
So far, the experience has been eye-opening and I’m learning things that one cannot learn from a university education alone. Learning theoretical principles in a textbook is one thing, but using the practical methods on the construction site is another thing all together. My internship with Alberici has given me ample opportunities to develop my practical skills, and learn from some of the best in the industry.
What I love about working for Alberici is the family dynamic and great sense of comradery in the workplace. Everyday there is a friendly atmosphere in the trailer and I feel at home.
The thing that surprised me the most was how concrete is poured in hard to reach places. Much of this unique work, including the “how to”, is overlooked at university. This summer I am hoping to learn the ins and outs of working in the construction industry, including the relationships between different parties at a construction project. It is great attending daily and weekly project meetings and seeing the collaboration involved throughout the entire project. My long-term goal is to take these lessons and be able to create valuable engineering solutions. I would also like to obtain my P.Eng certification in the next 10 years.
I would like to thank Alberici and everyone at the Humber site for mentoring me and allowing me to take part of such a great work experience. So far it has been a blast, and I cannot wait for what the future holds!