This summer I worked in San Jose, California as a Construction Management Intern with Gilbane Building Company, a leading general contractor across the globe. Gilbane works to collaborate with their clients at they highest level to produce quality projects that directly impact both their communities and society worldwide.
My assigned project was in Santa Clara, CA, the heart of the semiconductor manufacturing industry, where Gilbane had partnered with Intel Inc. to expand and streamline the design of their photomasks. These photomasks are used in the production of integrated circuits (ICs), photonic devices, and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS).This project was housed in Intel’s first-company owned facility from 1970, where their groundbreaking technology continues to be created today. Through this experience, I got to play a role in managing the multiple construction processes involved in installing the various mechanical and electrical systems required to produce these masks. By coordinating with various stakeholders and supporting project operations to ensure timely and efficient completion, I was able to find my place in this fast-paced, constantly changing environment.
Not only did I get to experience the vast amount of behind-the-scenes coordination required to operate such a large-scale project, I was able to get out into the field daily with my mentors to see the results of the work between our client and trade partners. This experience truly would not have been the same without the wonderful people I was able to meet and work with, and I could not be more thankful for them. Additionally, being able to explore the beautiful state of California (far across the country from my home state of South Carolina) solidified that the West Coast is where I want to call home. Overall, this experience has helped me understand where exactly I want to fit into the development industry and has ignited my passion for collaborating directly with communities of people to make their daily lives a little bit easier.
