Celebrating National Intern Day at EDA Contractors

National Intern Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the team members who are spending their summer learning, contributing, and gaining real-world experience at EDA.

This summer, two interns joined the team and quickly became part of the action. From supporting ongoing projects to learning directly from experienced team members, they have had the chance to see the construction industry from a whole new light.

In the spotlights below, they share what they are studying, what brought them to EDA, and some of the highlights from their internship experience this far.

Owen Eberman, Engineering Intern

What have you worked on during your internship at EDA? 

During my internship at EDA, I have spent time reviewing drawings and gaining a better understanding of how the entire process works. I worked on resubmittals, numbered drawings and organized information in Excel to identify comments made by architects. I also watched LinkedIn Learning videos and joined many meetings, where I tried to observe and write down as much information as possible.

What is something you have learned during your internship that you could not learn in a classroom?

Something I learned during my internship that I could not learn in a classroom is how a company and office really operate. EDA is known for how people treat one another, and this experience helped me step outside of my comfort zone and talk to more people. Even if it was just saying hello or good morning, it felt good to connect with others instead of staying in my own head.

What has surprised you most about working at EDA?

What surprised me most about working at EDA was how welcoming and supportive everyone was. During my first week, several people came up to me and said, “If there is anything you need or if you have any questions, my office is right there.” That made me feel comfortable and excited about working. It also helped me understand that I did not need to be afraid of making mistakes or asking questions because the best way to grow is by working together as one team.

What advice would you give a future EDA intern?

My advice to a future EDA intern would be to come in with an open mind. I was nervous and intimidated at first because this was my first real office job, and I did not know what to expect. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive that it quickly became easy to work with the people around me.

There can be a lot of information to take in at first, so write down as much as you can and really try to understand what people are teaching you. The things you learn during your internship can go a long way in your career and in life.

Tara Consalvi, Graphic Design Intern

What have you worked on during your internship at EDA? 

During my time at EDA, I have worked on a variety of projects for both internal and external use. I designed event campaigns for team events, including the Fishing Trip, Family Fun Day and Phillies game. Creating stickers for each event has been one of my favorite parts because I know team members will be able to keep them and enjoy them in the future.

Internally, I have also been working on new LinkedIn banner options that give employees the opportunity to show more of their personality on their profiles. I also helped create a new version of a card employees can use to show support and appreciation for one another.

What is something you have learned during your internship that you could not learn in a classroom?

Something I learned during my internship that I could not learn in a classroom is how to work alongside people who are not designers and may approach ideas differently. It has been great to see how closely a team can work together while contributing different skills and perspectives.

What has surprised you most about working at EDA?

What surprised me most about working at EDA was the culture. When I first joined the team, people already knew my name before I even had the chance to introduce myself. Everyone welcomed me with open arms. Another thing that surprised me, and that I loved, was the number of ducks around the office. They are just about everywhere!

What advice would you give a future EDA intern?

My advice to a future intern would be to not be afraid to ask questions or speak up. An internship is about learning, so be curious and ask as many questions as you can. Let your team get to know you, and take the time to get to know everyone around you too.