Back

Kansas City is known for many things – Jazz, BBQ, Super Bowls, and engineering some of the world’s most brilliant structures. The bright minds and sharp tools we’ve used to become this mighty engineering hub in the Midwest is at the core of BHC’s summer internship program. There are so many resources here to inspire and mentor wide eyed college students. The next generation of innovative thinkers are here, but in this vast A/E/C landscape what’s the best way to fit all of this valuable learning into a short summer internship. We introduced our A/E/C Intern Partnership in the summer of 2016. Over the last eight years through success and refinement this program helps the next generation of engineers design the future.

Summer 2025 will be the eighth year of our exclusive BHC-led and organized A/E/C Intern Partnership. Our unique internal rotation within four of our main service areas, as well as our external rotation with premier A/E/C industry partners and their interns, blends a unique experience not only to Kansas City but across the nation.

At the end of the program it always amazes me to see the results for each student. Nate Wagner is the ideal model for what our program hopes to accomplish. Now, four years into his role at BHC, he’s grown in leadership and technical capabilities on our team as a Lead Design Engineer.

“The BHC internship helped start my journey in the engineering world by allowing me to experience both the public and private sides of civil engineering and determine which I would want to pursue after graduation” says Nate. “My time as an intern led to lasting relationships with various project and leadership staff to use their experience and expertise to develop my skills as an engineer.”

The interns cycle through four of our market segments on a two week rotation. The focused rotations are in (Telecom, Survey, Public Works, and Development.) This approach provides them with hands-on experience in multiple disciplines, helping them understand the breadth and depth of our operations.

Interns are immersed in the design process from start to finish. Each rotation includes mentorship from our experts, project-based learning, and the opportunity to contribute to real-world projects. Students are eager to look ahead and understand how today’s practices are constantly evolving to meet future needs and increase efficiency. We purposely incorporate the accomplishments of engineers past and present into our mentorship, demonstrating how those before us have designed the world we live in, and how their practices can evolve to better suit the needs of today’s communities.

The collaborative approach with local A/E/C partners is what really sets the program apart for the future engineer. Interns learn several invaluable lessons in the hallways, meeting rooms, and project sites of multiple firms in the area. We’ve partnered with 13 different local A/E/C firms and cities to offer new perspectives into streamlined projects.

Autumn King, Design Engineer at BHC, exclaimed “My experience through BHC’s intern A/E/C rotation gave me access to project sites, other companies, and city meetings that I would have missed otherwise. As a college student, the decision on where to spend your summers can set you up for the rest of your career. The fantastic part about this internship rotation is that you cover much more ground in the greater A/E/C industry compared to other summer-long commitments. The second-year rotation was invaluable for me to discover if my interests actually aligned with the industry I would be entering.”

The rotational exposure across different sectors ensures interns gain a comprehensive understanding of how our partners work together on projects. Students are able to build a strong professional network and gain a comprehensive understanding of the behind-the-scenes operations within the industry.

Of course I’m an engineering guy, with that said it’s important for future A/E/C employees to experience the multiple disciplines involved in designing and building the future.

This article was written by Randy Gorton, P.E., PTOE, Public Works Director at BHC in conjunction with National Engineers Week. Interested in learning more about our impact and the future of the A/E/C landscape? Connect with one of our experts at ibhc.com/connect!