AutoCAD and Construction Design

How did you get your internship and why did you choose it?

I got my internship at PepsiCo because I’m already employed there. Because I work full time, go to school, and have a 10 month old son, I needed an internship opportunity that was flexible and could fit into my busy schedule. Because I built a good reputation for myself at PepsiCo, I had good relationships with managers and leads of different departments. Sometimes I was nervous to introduce myself to people but the more I did it the more I felt comfortable and confident. I’m glad I made the effort to do so because I received important insight and was able to develop an internship that was unique to me and my interests and skill set. I've learned that the more you talk to people in the workplace, the better chance you have of those people remembering you and considering you for a better position in the future.

I chose this internship because it worked with my schedule and because it had an architectural emphasis to it. I was able to use skills I’ve developed in the spatial organization and design thinking emphasis and put them to use for a real world project. It was fun to use the specialized skills I’ve learned to help develop a proposal for an actual building. It was a good learning experience for me because when I was in school I would try to make proposals that were really interesting and complex to try to ‘wow’ people. But, in reality, cost is the most important thing so designs are more practical and simple. I was glad to use AutoCAD, which is a drafting program that I have experience with, to make architectural drawings of the site plan, as well as use the existing blueprint to create two more offices for team leads and a break room for employees.

What new knowledge and skills did you develop in this internship?

I developed my social skills in just talking to people and introducing myself to managers and team leads around the office and warehouse. I’ve learned that familiarizing myself with people and asking them how their day is can really go a long way. Whenever I met a manager that had the power to give me a better position I gave my elevator pitch as to why I’m the right guy for the job. It took a couple times of making my pitch but I got promoted to a new position on the sales side. It took some work but it paid off. I also improved my self-determination skills and multitasking because a lot of the work in my new sales role is by myself.

How has your internship experience influenced your plans for your future?

I applied for several jobs because of my internship experience. I loved using AutoCAD and being able to create designs and proposals for projects that can actually be implemented in real life. My internship experience and dedication to completing my degree influenced my plans for the future because it got me a promotion, a better schedule, better pay, and potential for increasing my ranks in the company.