News & Insights

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What have you been working on at Salas O’Brien?

As an intern at Salas O’Brien, I was mostly designing concrete slabs. And I had a really awesome opportunity to go on-site and see a building under construction, which helped me relate the work that we’re doing in the office to how it comes out in the real world.

What’s one word that describes your internship?

If I had to describe my internship in one word, it would be affirming. My team constantly affirmed my abilities, and by the end of my internship, I really felt like I had independence and authority over the work that I was doing. The experience gave me a lot of confidence and reassured me that I had a space in this industry and in the workplace.

What’s a surprising fact about yourself?

A surprising fact about me is that I’m one of the co-founders of the National Society of Black Engineers chapter at my university, University of Waterloo. And so, we’ve been able to do a lot of exciting activities for the past four years. And it always makes me happy to see how much community and growth can happen when you start an organization like this. So, it’s something I’m really excited about, and I love sharing that part of me.

How has Salas O’Brien supported you and your professional development?

When I started my role at Salas O’Brien, I had no previous structural engineering experience. But now, eight months later, I can confidently apply structural engineering concepts to numerous typical structural members, such as beams, walls, slabs, and I’m now a resourceful and contributing member of my team. My supervisors and managers have continuously exposed me to new concepts, and they always provide me with the necessary theoretical information as well, so that I not only know how to perform the analysis but also understand the why.