Shook Construction Co.

Project Engineer Co-op

May - August 2024 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

As a co-op, my responsibilities grew as I gained more and more experience. I was in charge of coordinating subcontractors, pre-bid cost estimating/bidding new jobs, proper bookkeeping, reviewing drawings, and miscellaneous tasks such as picking up new sheet sets or reviewing documents for my PM and PE. The best part about Shook Construction is their culture. They make it a priority to ensure that the employees feel like family. Shook also has a very good onboarding process that eases the co-op into their projects and assigned role.

What I wish was different

This co-op experience has been very eye-opening for me. It gave me great insight into all the different roles of a construction site from project manager all the way to the carpenters and laborers. I wish I could have led a job or bid for a job entirely by myself. However, that responsibility comes with time and experience. There were some bids and jobs that I coordinated with very little assistance from my coworkers, but it would have been a cool experience to be the guy in charge for a job.

Advice

One thing I learned from this experience is the importance of treating people kindly and with respect. I met a lot of new people and subcontractors with very different personalities. What I noticed is when you are kind and understanding of other people's problems, you are able to come to a better solution in a shorter time frame. Building strong relationships with coworkers and subcontractors creates an atmosphere that promotes peace and motivation to do a good job.

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Co-Op

May - July 2022 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

The work environment was great. Being a first-time Co-Op, I was nervous about going to work. Still, everyone at the annual convention and Moraine's office was very kind, involving me in conversations and allowing me to ask questions about Shook. I liked how Shook made an effort to get their Co-Ops together to form friendships and enabled us to talk about what we are doing at our own jobs. I also liked how I was regarded as part of the team, giving work that was beneficial to my job site.

What I wish was different

I wish going into the Co-Op that I had more experience with applications used at the job site. Excel, Bluebeam, and the various Microsoft applications. Getting comfortable with these applications took a little bit of time but I was able to get a hang of them. I wish I had taken a specific class at my university to better prepare myself in that aspect of my Co-Op.

Advice

My peice of advice would be don't be afraid to speak out and ask questions. Your opinion and line of thinking could be different than your superintendent, PE, and PM. Speaking out and asking questions lets you get the most out of your Co-Op experience. I would also advise one to get in the field and talk to contractors about their work. The contractors are very informative and like teaching you about what they are doing.

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Project Engineering Co-op

January - April 2023 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed being involved in critical tasks that better reflect the true scope of a project engineer. One of my favorite responsibilities was assisting in coordination modeling using Autodesk software. I was able to work under the mentorship of a Mechanical Engineer, which allowed me to dive even deeper into the finer details to uncover many often-overlooked issues. I loved having the opportunity to see the knowledge and experience from my previous co-ops unlock higher levels of responsibility and understanding.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have started a water resources project from the very beginning when the estimating department turns everything over the project team. I feel that experiencing the initial setup of a job could greatly benefit my understanding of the work I need to do as a project engineer.

Advice

The one main focus of your co-op/internship experience is to learn. Question everything. Ask why things are being done the way they are. If you see someone performing work that looks interesting, ask them to explain what they are doing. Make a habit out of learning something new every day. Do not back away from the intimidating tasks. The work that makes you uncomfortable and confused often brings the greatest learning opportunities. Do not stress being perfect or always correct. Even the most experienced people make big, silly mistakes that are costly. Shook cares that their co-ops learn. Even if you mess up spectacularly, learn from it.

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Preconstruction Co-op

January - May 2023 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

I really liked the people that I got to work with. Being in preconstruction there were a lot of interactions with different people. Whether is was subcontractors or different Shook employees at various job sites that I had a hand in, everyone was very great to work with. It is very gratifying to look back at my term here and be able to see the work I did coming to life. I was able to work on around 15 projects throughout the term which led to some good connections and contacts as well as a better understanding of the building/construction process.

What I wish was different

Something that I think could be improved is maybe an increased ability to work in other roles throughout the co-op. As a preconstruction co-op, I got to work on a lot of jobs, however, I didn't get to see too many in person. I think that being able to shadow a project manager or an engineer for a day could be beneficial to rounding out the co-op experience. Also, I wish I made more of an effort to go after those kinds of things and utilized my recourses. Going on safety walks at job sites could have been a good way to learn about the different projects going on.

Advice

One piece of advice is to really try to listen to what people say and make sure to ask questions about things you don't understand. Try to be adaptive and flexible with the work you are doing. Often times you will need to be able to jump into tasks without feeling 100% comfortable and that is something you have to get used to when starting a new position. Overall, trust the people you are working with and strive to be a seamless team player in order to create a productive environment for both Shook and your own personal learning experience and education.

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Estimating Co-op

June - August 2022 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

I enjoyed the fun, family-like culture. Everyone takes their work seriously while still finding a way to have jovial interactions with coworkers/teammates. Shook is a fairly sizeable and ever-expanding company, yet it still maintains that small-company feeling. Especially as a returning co-op, I felt I was a contributing member and a team player when it came to many of Shook's preconstruction efforts. I was given a large variety of tasks and responsibilities that span across all of Shook's major market channels. These experiences allowed me to greatly expand on my knowledge of various aspects of construction jobs.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have had more experience with 3D tools. There were a select few instances where I was able to use or learn about 3D software tools, but would not use them on a day-to-day basis. There have not been many opportunities for me to explore and implement 3D modeling software within my major's coursework. I would certainly love to find more experiences with such tools in future co-op experiences.

Advice

When work slows down or if there is something you are interested in learning/experiencing more of, speak up. Shook does well in setting co-ops with essential opportunities within their assigned roles. However, this does not mean you are limited to what is captured in your co-op assignment. If you see something you want to do, or you feel you can be more involved, say something. For me, many highly beneficial experiences have come from asking to learn more or to try something outside of my normal scope of work.

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Project Engineer Co-Op

May - August 2022 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

I really enjoyed the culture of Shook. Everyone I worked with worked hard and took their work seriously while enjoying it and having fun at the same time which made coming to work very enjoyable everyday. I also really enjoyed having the opportunity to work alongside my mentors and learn from them. I felt like I was an important part of the team rather than working for them. Overall, this experience was very beneficial for me and I'm excited to return for another term.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be all in with whatever you are learning/doing. Working hard, staying organized, and paying attention to detail will pay off in the future. Also, don't be afraid to express your needs. If you want to experience something that isn't a part of your job description just ask. The more you learn/see throughout your Co-Ops, the more valuable you will become when beginning your professional career.

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Marketing Intern

May - August 2018 • Dayton, OH

What I liked

The work, the people, going into the field

What I wish was different

I wish there had been more team collaboration

Advice

Try to figure things out, but if you've tried everything, ask for help.

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Equipment Yard Co-Op

June - August 2022 • Dayton, OH

What I liked

I was happy to be paired up with a mentor. My mentor provided me with many meaningful projects that related to my major. I also enjoyed the training I received. It expanded my knowledge in my area of study and in the construction industry as a whole. The social activities I was invited to participate in outside of the work day, including a baseball game and community concert, were also a fun experience.

What I wish was different

If I could have had one thing be different, it would be that my position would have been full-time instead of part-time. Being part-time, I missed out on Shook's co-op gatherings and job site visits that were held on my days off. That said, I feel fortunate I had the learning experience even with the lesser amount of hours involved.

Advice

Make sure that you attend any work-sponsored events with your coworkers. They provide an excellent opportunity to network with people you haven't met in the office and for getting to know the people you work with more personally. Not only that, but these events can be a lot of fun.

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Project Engineer Co-op

January 2020 - August 2022 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

Shook gave me experience working in multiple market channels with different build teams during my co-op experience. The organizational culture is fantastic, with your co-workers feeling like a part of a giant family. Mentors are assigned to each co-op to give them oversight as well as insight into the field of construction management. Opportunities to learn something new can be found every day from practically anyone.

What I wish was different

I wish I had some 3D modelling experience going into my co-op here. It is a skill that is becoming increasingly important, but I was not required to take any sort of class about it. Shook was able to give me some great modelling experience during my co-op, but it would have been nice to have at least been familiar with some more commonly used programs before going in.

Advice

Go in with an open mind, and understand that there are so many different technical aspects in this field that you are not going to know everything coming in. Also, if there is anything you are particularly wanting more experience with, just ask your mentor if you can try; it could open a lot of new doors.

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Project Engineering Co-Op

May 2022 • Moraine, OH

What I liked

I was immediately included in the projects I was assigned to. The team gave a warm welcome and a helping hand as soo as I showed up to the office. Shook offers a great opportunity to get beneficial, real world experience both on site and in the office. I was also surprised and exited to find just how much Shook facilitated networking. The Co-Ops were given an opportunity to give a tour of their job site to the rest of the group, which was helpful in connecting building friendships between the Co-Ops.

What I wish was different

I wish there was less brainless paperwork. I began to be frustrated with tracking down files in the never ending circle of emails. This provided no challenge for me, and thus, became boring and monotonous.

Advice

Develop the relationships you make, it will make you life so much easier when you need help with something.

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Co-op

May 2021 • Toledo, OH

What I liked

I love how Shook involves their Co-ops in anything and everything that they do. Not only does this involve all aspects of the business, but it also includes all of the social events. Each co-op is also paired with at least one mentor (I have 8), who are there for any questions and to challenge you everyday.

What I wish was different

The only thing I wish would have been different is being able to network within the company more than just one day at the Annual meeting. Being in Toledo, we don't get as many opportunities to meet and talk with other co-workers. But this is partially on me for not taking advantage of some of the opportunities given.

Advice

The one piece of advice I would share is you are the sole person responsible for what you get out of your co-op with Shook. They are willing to let you learn as much as you want, but you have to be the one to ask to do it.

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