As a Civil Engineering student at McMaster University, I met some employees from Alberici’s management team at a local career fair which provided me an opportunity for a 12-month internship as a Project Coordinator. It has been about six weeks since I started my internship, and quite a lot has happened!
During my first week, I learned about the back-end operations at the Burlington, Ontario office. I was privileged to meet one-on-one with members from each department including Estimating, Quality, Safety, Human Resources, and Finance. Through each session, I learned about the departments daily tasks and how they contribute to Alberici to make it the company it is today.
Next, I was off to the project site! Humber Wastewater Treatment Plant is one of the largest of its kind in Ontario. Located in Toronto, the project’s scope includes the removal and replacement of five aeration tanks, final clarifiers, service tunnels, piping, and electrical systems. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement, but the complexity of the project was extremely exciting! My first week on-site consisted of several tours accompanied by my team members as well as engineers from our client, the City of Toronto.
Since settling in, I have had the opportunity to be exposed to various meetings with the client, consultant, subcontractors, and foreman. I also attend weekly/monthly team meetings where project goals are reviewed and updated. At the same time, my supervisor has kept me busy with a diverse number of tasks including:
- Creating pipe support drawings.
- Assisting my supervisor with RFI’s and submittals.
- Calculating the volume of concrete being demolished around the final clarifiers.
- Creating purchase orders for material required on one of the buildings in the plant.
- Updating excel logs for concrete testing, rebar, and other consultant approved drawings.
- Helping with material receiving reports.
Something important to be noted is the dedication and work ethic of everyone on the team, which has motivated me to continue learning and improving. I feel lucky to be part of such a great group of people, and I look forward to the coming months! I hope that through this journey, I am able to create a positive impact on this massive project.