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.
Company: Rummel Construction, Inc.
Supervisor: Pablo Bautista
Title: Project Engineer & Pre-Wet Crew Supervisor
What inspired your organization to host student interns?
Rummel wanted to create opportunities for students to take what they were learning in the classroom and apply that knowledge to real-world experiences. You can learn a lot from reading books and watching videos, but there’s nothing quite like being out in the field, getting hands-on experience, and actually putting that knowledge into practice.
What contributions has your intern made to your team?
Most of these interns are very eager to come out here and work. They’re excited to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in the field. They bring a great attitude, they’re willing to learn, and they’re ready to jump in and contribute wherever they can.
Can you share a moment when your intern exceeded your expectations?
One thing that has really stood out to me about working with student interns is how dependable and motivated they are. They show up on time, they’re willing to work, and most importantly, they’re ready to learn. That kind of attitude can make a real difference on a team, and it’s been great to see how eager they are to gain experience and contribute.
How has hosting interns impacted your team or workplace culture?
At Rummel, we’re looking for good people who are willing to work hard and learn. What really stands out is when an intern comes in with that attitude—when they’re willing to learn, ask questions, and take on new challenges. There’s always an opportunity to grow here, and if they’re willing to learn, we’re willing to teach them and give them the opportunities to succeed.
If another organization is considering hosting an intern but isn’t sure they have the time, what would you tell them?
I would encourage construction companies to make the time to host student interns. These students are our next generation of workforce, and giving them hands-on experience today helps prepare them for successful careers tomorrow. It’s an investment in the students, but it’s also an investment in the future of our industry.
Has hosting interns changed how you think about developing future talent?
I would say no. Hosting student interns hasn’t really changed how we think about developing future talent; if anything, it has reinforced how important it is. Giving students the opportunity to learn new skills, gain hands-on experience, and see what a career in construction looks like is a great way to help develop the next generation of our workforce.
Student: Manuel Arredondo
High School: Trevor Brown
CTE Program: Construction
Internship Role: Laborer Intern
What is one project or experience you’ll always remember?
This Paradise Ridge project I’ll always remember. It was my first time experiencing pre-wet, and I honestly didn’t think it was going to be that bad. It really wasn’t, but there was definitely mud everywhere! That was probably the biggest challenge, but overall, it was a pretty straightforward experience. You stay hydrated, keep moving, and you’ll get through it.
- What stood out about the project?
- I think the mud was really the only downside. Other than that, it was a pretty unique experience and a good opportunity to learn something new.
- Can you describe what pre-wet is?
- Pre-wet is basically the process of softening and conditioning the soil so the scrapers can do their job more effectively. We lay out laterals and sprinkler sets, and then let the water saturate the ground to get the soil to the right moisture level. Once the soil is properly conditioned, the scrapers can move and work the material much more efficiently.
What’s something you know how to do now that you didn’t know before your internship?
One thing I know now that I didn’t know before is how much goes into working around utilities. A big part of my internship involved utility work. When a utility line comes up out of the ground, we have to carefully dig around it about three feet around the line and two feet down. From there, we cut the pipe, seal it off, and then backfill the area.
That was something I didn’t know we had to do before my internship, so it was definitely a learning experience for me.
Another area where I learned a lot was working with the pre-wet crew. The first time I worked with them, I didn’t know how to throw the pipe or how the system worked, but the crew took the time to teach me. I learned how to flush out the pipes by letting water run through the system to clean out any dirt and rocks.
Once the water was running clean, we would connect the last lateral, put the end cap on, and get everything back in place before the pressure built up. It was one of those things where, if someone hadn’t taken the time to show me how to do it, I wouldn’t have known where to start.
Those experiences were a big part of my internship because I was able to learn things hands-on and understand how the work actually gets done in the field. There were a lot of things I didn’t know going in, but the crews were willing to teach me, and I was able to pick up new skills by actually being out there and doing the work.
Can you describe a moment when you felt trusted or part of the team?
A time when I really felt trusted and like I was part of the team was here on this job site. Right now, we’re working on fusing pipe, and Gannon was pulling the pipe back while I was responsible for spotting him and communicating with him over the radio.
It was a pretty important responsibility because I had to make sure he knew when to keep moving and, more importantly, when to stop. Knowing that the crew trusted me to watch what was happening, communicate clearly, and make that call made me feel like I was a valuable part of the team.
It showed me that everyone has a role to play, and even something as simple as spotting and communicating over the radio is important to keeping the work moving safely and efficiently. That trust from the crew really made me feel like I was part of the team.
How has this experience influenced your confidence or career goals?
Yeah, this experience has helped me a lot. It’s definitely opened my eyes to a lot more opportunities within the company and shown me that there are different paths I can take as I continue to learn and gain experience.
In the future, I’d really like to become a great checker and continue building my skills and knowledge in that position. I’m also interested in becoming an operator and learning more about the equipment and different aspects of the work. I want to keep challenging myself, take on more responsibility, and continue moving forward.
I really like the opportunities this company provides, and I’m not trying to put a limit on where I can go. If there’s an opportunity to move up and take on a bigger role, I want to work toward it. My goal is to keep learning, become better at what I do, and see how far I can go with the company.
What advice would you give another student considering an internship?
The advice I’d give to another student considering an internship is: go for it. I think it’s one of the best things you can do while you’re still in school because it gives you a chance to get real-world experience before you graduate.
An internship can help set you apart from other students because you’re not just learning things in a classroom—you’re actually getting out there, working with people, learning how the industry operates, and getting hands-on experience. When you graduate, you’ll already have an idea of what to expect and what you want to do.
It’s also something that looks great on your resume. It shows future employers that you were willing to take the initiative, learn, and gain experience before starting your career. Even if you’re not completely sure what you want to do yet, I’d still recommend trying it. You might discover something you really enjoy or find a career path you hadn’t considered before.
Overall, I’d say take the opportunity if you have it. The experience you gain can put you a step ahead and give you a strong foundation for whatever you decide to do after school.
Describe your internship in one word.
Openminded
Looking back, how did this internship help bridge the gap between the classroom and your career?
Looking back on the internship, I think it really helped bridge the gap between what we learned in the classroom and what we actually experience on the job site. In class, they taught us a lot about safety hazards, different procedures, and why certain rules are in place. They also helped us get our OSHA 10 card, which gave us a good foundation before coming out into the field.
Now that I’ve been working on the job site, I understand those lessons a lot better. I can actually see the hazards we talked about in class and understand why those safety rules and procedures are so important. It’s one thing to learn about them in a classroom, but it’s completely different when you’re out there and can see how they apply to the work you’re doing.
So, overall, the internship really connected the two for me. It helped me take what I learned in class and apply it to real-world situations, and I think that’s one of the biggest things I’ve gained from the experience.
If you could go back and talk to yourself on your first day as an intern, what would you say?
If I could go back and talk to myself on my first day as an intern, I’d tell myself to keep working hard, stay open-minded, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If there’s an opportunity to volunteer or try something new, go for it. Even if you’re not completely sure how to do something, don’t be scared to ask questions and learn from the people around you.
I’d also tell myself not to be afraid of making mistakes. You’re there to learn, and you’re not expected to know everything on your first day. The more you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone and get involved, the more you’re going to learn and the more opportunities you’re going to create for yourself.
Looking back, I think that mindset can take you a long way. Work hard, be willing to learn, volunteer when you can, and don’t be afraid to go for something new. You never know where one opportunity or one experience might lead you.
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.