The course "Water-based Fire Protection Systems" (ENFP310) was the greatest help in this internship. I was able to directly apply my knowledge from this class to the job tasks.
Name: Emily Tran
Major: Fire Protection Engineering
Company: Southland Industries
Location: Dulles, VA
How did you find the internship/co-op? What was the interview process like? I found the internship through the UMD Fire Protection Career Fair. Before the fair, they reached out via email to let me know they were coming. During the fair, I talked to them and gave them my resume. After the fair, they hosted on campus interviews. The interview was with employees from the fire protection team and was casual. There was only one round of interviews in my experience.
What have been the most interesting aspects of your internship? I really liked learning about the construction industry since I have no previous experience with it. I went on several site visits to construction sites for data centers, parking garages, and train stations where I got to see the different construction phases. I was able to gain a lot of experience using Autodesk Revit as well.
What campus activities or courses do you think helped you, or would have helped you, with this internship? The course "Water-based Fire Protection Systems" (ENFP310) was the greatest help in this internship. I was able to directly apply my knowledge from this class to the job tasks.
Was there diversity among your colleagues within the department and throughout your internship/co-op experience? The construction industry is very male dominated and the intern class reflected that, but I was never discriminated against or treated differently for being a woman. At the company office, I saw many people from different cultures. It was more diverse than what I was expecting.
Was there a formal program for all interns at the company? Was peer support available throughout the internship? There was a well thought out intern program for all interns. I was in the Mid-Atlantic Division which had about 30 interns. There were activities planned for us to encourage bonding between interns, and many interns lived with each other through company housing. We also received trainings from different trades. For example, even though my primary focus was fire protection, I learned about mechanical HVAC design, electrical systems, safety, and project engineering.
What advice would you give other UMD engineering students seeking an internship or co-op position? I would recommend other UMD students to look at the list of companies before the career fair and do research on them. Look to see if they have positions that you are interested in, and make a note to visit their table at the career fair. This makes going to the career fair a lot less stressful since you have a plan going in to it! Also, do not rush to accept an offer. It is always tempting to just accept the first offer you get instantly, but waiting to compare other possible offers is a good idea.
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