My name is Will Hofmanner, and I’m entering my junior year of college at Penn State University. After completing my engineering prerequisite courses, I began searching for an internship where I could gain hands-on experience in civil engineering while strengthening the leadership skills I was developing through my minor. CEC looked like the perfect place to develop skills to help me become a successful engineer.
I originally came across CEC after talking with CEO Dustin Kuhlman. After a good conversation, he was able to put me in touch with CEC’s University Relations Recruiter, Natalie Wrazen. Before I interviewed, Natalie and I talked about my interests and what I was looking for. At the time, I had just completed my freshman year and was unsure of what area of civil engineering I wanted to focus on. The transportation department stood out to me, and I decided to interview for a transportation intern position. I then interviewed with Senior Project Manager Chris Droznek, and our conversation gave me additional valuable insight into the transportation engineering field.
I was nervous during the meeting, and even more nervous waiting for a response afterward. After a little while, I received an offer email for the internship. I was overcome with joy and very thankful to the team for this opportunity. I stayed in contact with Natalie about preparing for the role, and after the school year ended, I went out to Pittsburgh and began the internship.
I didn’t have much idea of what I was going to do in the office, as I had not started my civil engineering courses yet. In a short time, I was able to learn so much about software like Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Synchro, and more. Everyone was patient as I learned new programs and took the time to walk me through unfamiliar tasks. This software was pivotal to what I was doing in the office. I designed highway occupancy permits, set up traffic volume figures, and build Synchro models to replicate and predict changes to existing intersections. I worked on projects in states outside of Pennsylvania too, so I was able to learn about the different traffic guidelines and codes that different Departments of Transportation follow to conduct their work.
I was also given the opportunity to work with different practices within CEC such as Survey, Ecological Sciences, and more. Working with these teams gave me more insight into how many steps each project has and the importance of communication and collaboration between team members to ensure high-quality work.
This entire experience, from my interview to my last day, has been so rewarding and something that I’ll hold on to for the rest of my life. Everyone at CEC was welcoming and supportive, and I’m thankful to have had a team around me that genuinely cared about helping me learn and grow.
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