Hello. My name is Matthew Decker. I am from Philo, Illinois. I am originally from an agricultural background. I grew up on our family farm in Champaign County. Currently, I attend Iowa State University and study Civil Engineering with a minor in Economics.
Currently I am working in on the Kings Bay Dry Dock Recapitalization Project in southeast Georgia. This project includes the renovation of the existing dry dock as well as surrounding facilities. I work as part of the mechanical team. Our work includes all plumbing and mechanical systems on the project. Part of my responsibility on the project include submittals, requests for information, coordinating contractors, and assisting the rest of the team in any way possible.
Every day starts at around 6:30. The entire project team starts the day with a safety briefing and bend and stretch. Mornings usually consist of meetings with subcontractors, posting RFIs, reviewing submittals, job site visits, and inspections. Everyday is different from the next. At noon, I usually eat lunch with the other interns on site and learn about what they are working on. After this, I attend the daily P.O.N.D. (plan of the next day) meeting to be updated on overall progress. Most days typically end between 4:30 and 5:30. After this, my evening activities include a summer class I am taking or heading to the gym with one of the other interns.
My favorite part of this internship has been the people. The joint venture team has helped me to feel at home and answer all my questions. They have helped me learn a lot about mechanical systems as well as construction in general. Meeting the other interns has also given me a new group of friends to hang out with and go to the beach on the weekends. In addition, I have really enjoyed the opportunity of living in a new location. Despite the heat, Georgia has been a great state to explore. Visiting beaches and hiking have been two of my favorite activities since moving here. Working on a Navy project has also been incredible. It is a great feeling to know that our work helps keep America safe. Overall, this internship has been a very beneficial experience with lots of learning experiences and fun times.