Company: Rummel Construction, Inc.
Company Representative: Tiffany Andrade
Title: Craft Recruiter
What inspired your organization to host student interns?
We wanted to create meaningful opportunities for students to take the knowledge they gain in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. Construction is something you can learn about from a textbook or a video, but an internship provides an experience that cannot be replicated in a classroom.
For us, internships are about helping students turn knowledge into experience, giving them the opportunity to work alongside industry professionals, understand how projects come together, develop practical skills, and gain a firsthand perspective of what a career in construction can look like. We want students to leave their internship not only with a better understanding of the industry, but with the confidence and experience to take the next step in their careers.
What contributions have your interns made to your team?
Our interns get involved from day one. They work alongside our crews and gain hands-on experience with tasks such as laying out pre-wet pipe, fusing, grubbing, and other essential construction activities. They are involved in the early stages of our jobsites and contribute alongside our seasoned laborers while learning how the work is performed safely and efficiently. Their willingness to learn, ask questions, and take on new challenges makes them a valuable part of the team.
How has hosting interns impacted your team or workplace culture?
Hosting interns hasn’t necessarily changed our workplace culture because collaboration and helping one another are already a big part of whom we are at Rummel. Everyone is willing to share their knowledge and help someone who is learning. We believe there is no such thing as a dumb question, the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask. Everyone had to start somewhere, and no matter how experienced you are, there is always something new to learn.
If another organization is considering hosting an intern but isn’t sure they have the time, what would you tell them?
If we don’t make time to train and develop the next generation, who will be there to replace our retiring workforce? Investing time in interns today is an investment in the future of your organization and your industry. In the long run, the cost of not developing a succession plan will far exceed the time and resources required to train and mentor interns. The time you invest now can help build the workforce you will depend on tomorrow.
Has hosting interns changed how you think about developing future talent?
It hasn’t necessarily changed our perspective, but it continues to reinforce our belief that developing future talent is more than an investment in our company, it is a responsibility to our industry and our community. By giving students meaningful, hands-on experiences, we can help introduce them to careers they may not have otherwise considered and give them a stronger foundation for their future.
In one sentence, why is your organization an ElevateEdAZ Internship Partner?
Preparing the next generation of talent through meaningful internships isn’t just an investment in students, it’s essential to the long-term success of our organization, our industry, and our community.
Student: Angel Coria Marin
High School: Metro Tech
CTE Program: Electrical Wiring
Internship Role: Laborer Intern
What is one project or experience you’ll always remember?
The prewet is definitely the experience I’ll always remember. It was something completely new to me, and I had never worked on anything like it before. I really enjoyed learning how the system worked and seeing it come together. Even on the hottest days, once the water started flowing, it actually cooled everything down and made the work much more comfortable. It was a unique experience that taught me a lot and made every day interesting.
What’s something you know how to do now that you didn’t know before your internship?
Before this internship, I had no experience with HDPE pipe fusing or setting up prewet systems. Now I know how to fuse HDPE pipe to move water around a job site and how to lay out the prewet piping, so the system operates efficiently. Learning these skills gave me hands-on experience with equipment and techniques I had never been exposed to before, and the knowledge I’ll be able to use throughout my career.
Can you describe a moment when you felt trusted or part of the team?
One moment that really stood out was when Maroni and I were trying to move a heavy metal ramp by ourselves. It quickly became obvious that we weren’t going to move it by brute force alone, so I suggested using another piece of pipe as a lever to help lift and reposition it. Maroni liked the idea, and together we used it to get the job done. It made me feel like my ideas were valued and that I was contributing to the team instead of just watching from the sidelines.
How has this experience influenced your confidence or career goals?
This internship has made me much more confident, especially when it comes to speaking up and sharing my ideas. When I first started, I was pretty quiet because I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. Over time, I realized my supervisors and coworkers genuinely wanted to hear my input. Even if an idea wasn’t used, they respected it and never made me feel embarrassed for speaking up. That encouragement has helped me become more confident in myself and has shown me the importance of communicating and contributing as part of a team.
What advice would you give another student considering an internship?
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because they’re going to happen, and that’s part of learning. The biggest thing is to ask questions whenever you’re unsure about something. Everyone starts somewhere, and the people around you want to help you learn. No one is going to put you down for asking a question. The more you ask, the more you’ll learn, and you’ll gain confidence much faster.